Last year, an unwanted kiss on the lips cast a shadow over Spain’s significant Women’s World Cup victory. This incident between Spain’s midfielder Jenni Hermoso and former Spanish football boss Luis Rubiales was broadcast live to a global television audience.
Rubiales grabbed Hermoso’s head and kissed her on the lips during the medal ceremony following Spain’s 1-0 win over England in the World Cup final. It sparked global outrage and raised vital questions about the gender inequalities that still exist in sports and beyond, despite a great deal of progress that has been achieved so far.
TRANSGENDER DEBATE
Meanwhile the debate about the participation of transgender athletes in women sports has continued to grow, with more international sports federations rolling out rules that prohibit athletes who have gone through “male puberty” from participating in top level women competitions.
Some governing bodies, like World Aquatics, even introduced an “open” category. However, World Aquatics said it received no entries for the Open Category competitions at the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup – Berlin 2023 meet which took place in October last year.
PANEL DISCUSSION
There will be a panel discussion on the topic: Championing gender equality, diversity and inclusion through the sport media, during the AIPS Centenary Congress in Santa Susanna, Spain.
This session will be spearheaded by AIPS’ two female vice-presidents Evelyn Watta from Kenya and Zsuzsa Csisztu from Hungary. Both pioneers in their own rights, Watta and Csisztu are strong advocates for women empowerment in sports and sports journalism.
NAWAL EL MOUTAWAKEL
Also confirmed to join this panel discussion is athletics legend Nawal El Moutawakel, who made history in 1984 as the first Moroccan, African and Muslim woman to win an Olympic gold medal. She won the inaugural women’s 400 metres hurdles event at the 1984 Summer Olympics.
She has been an IOC member since 1998 and in 2007 was named the Minister of Sports in Morocco. Nawal is a role model who continues to fight for better conditions for women in sports.
Credit: AIPS Media
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