Press Release: Gender equality in sport – Commission calls for action

On 3-4 December 2013, the European Commission hosted a conference in Vilnius on Gender Equality in Sport. The event gathered representatives of European, international and national sport organisations, including the International Olympic Committee, national Olympic committees, the International Paralympic Committee, UEFA, senior advisors of national governments, and the European Institute for Gender Equality, which is based in the Lithuanian capital.

Women and girls are still getting a raw deal in the world of sport. While the sector talks up equality, the reality is often different: sport governing bodies are still dominated by men, female coaches often earn less than their male counterparts and girls are more likely than boys to be victims of sexual harassment in sport.