IPC Sets Focus on Women in Sport

Ann Cody has recently been named interim Chair of the IPC Commission on Women in Sport. In this interview she gives a general overview of the participation of women in Paralympic sport and tells us about the work of the Commission.

The Paralympian: Where do you see the tasks of the Commission on Women in Sport?

Ann Cody: The task of the Commission will involve advocating for full inclusion of women at all levels of Paralympic sport and overseeing the establishment of programs and policies necessary to eliminate barriers to participation by women.

TP: Which concrete initiatives have been taken by the IPC to increase participation and opportunities for women?

AC: The IPC Sports Council, under the leadership of Carol Mushett, has developed and implemented a number of initiatives to increase participation and opportunities for women. One example is the addition of viable events and disciplines for women to the Paralympic Program in the sports of Powerlifting, Judo and Volleyball. Additionally, in the allocation of country wildcards an emphasis is placed on equitable allocation to ensure that National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) fill wildcard slots with women athletes as well as men. Certainly, the creation of this Commission is an important step for the IPC.

TP: Could you give us some facts about the participation of women in Paralympic Games?

AC: The IPC Sports Council, under the leadership of Carol Mushett, has developed and implemented a number of initiatives to increase participation and opportunities for women. One example is the addition of viable events and disciplines for women to the Paralympic Program in the sports of Powerlifting, Judo and Volleyball. Additionally, in the allocation of country wildcards an emphasis is placed on equitable allocation to ensure that National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) fill wildcard slots with women athletes as well as men. Certainly, the creation of this Commission is an important step for the IPC.

TP: Could you give us some facts about the participation of women in Paralympic Games?

AC: Based on Games participation data and reports developed by the Sports Council Chair, we know that women make up only 25% of the athletes competing in the Summer Paralympics and 21% in the Winter Paralympics. In the Summer Olympics,women represent 34% of the athletes competing, which tells us we have more work to do in both Paralympic and Olympic sport. I should also mention that women are absent from leadership positions within the IPC, NPCs, and International Organizations of Sport for the Disabled (IOSDs). Only two members of the IPC Executive Committee, a 22-member body, are women, and women hold only four of the twenty-four Paralympic Sport Chair positions.

TP: Women are underrepresented in Paralympic Sport. What could be the reason for this?

AC: How much time do we have? To start with, few opportunities exist for young girls and women with disabilities to engage in sport at the basic, introductory level. I realize that the IPC is concerned with elite sport, but we have to understand that girls and women are underrepresented at the developmental level too. In my previous experience with adaptive sport programming, young boys and men were more likely to participate than girls and women.As programmers, it is easier to identify and recruit boys and men so we begin to build our programs around their interests and needs. I have observed this pattern at every level of disability sport.The low participation rate initially is an indication that we are not doing a good job of reaching girls and women to engage them in sport.Those that do engage in sport must develop and compete in an environment that favours males.

My additional thoughts are that women must make difficult choices about their commitment to sport versus careers, marriage, children, etc. In my experience, pursuing a career in competitive sport was viewed as frivolous and selfish. I realize men also face difficult choices, but society tends to support the construct that men can sport as husbands and fathers. People with disabilities typically are introduced to disability sports later in life (16 – 25). For women, this leaves a much smaller window of opportunity in which to engage in competitive sport and reach the elite level.

TP: You have competed in wheelchair sport. Could you tell us about the problems you experienced, as a female athlete, along the way? AC: I was fortunate to attend the University of Illinois at a time when women athletes were given equal access to quality coaching, training facilities and sports medicine experts. Our abilities and achievements were equally recognized and celebrated. I also began racing competitively at a time when equal prize money for women was being achieved in the sport. One problem I encountered was that women’s divisions drew small numbers of competitors raising concerns from race directors and others.The lack of participation was perceived as a lack of interest and, equally as damaging, a lack of quality. Although elite women in my sport were racing within 12% of elite male wheelchair racers’ times, the size of our division gave us less credibility.

Photo: Lieven Coudenys

TP: What goal(s) have you set for yourself as Chair of this Commission?

AC: As Chair, I look forward to harnessing the tremendous talent and experience of women and men in this movement to improve opportunities and access to Paralympic sport for women. Of course, I want to see an increase in the number of women competing in and the number of countries bringing women to the Paralympic Games as well as the number of women entering leadership positions.