The Czech Olympic Committee (COC) has made notable strides in its National Action Plan for gender equality in sports.
This year, participation in the COC’s mentoring program for women in sport rose from 10 to 15, offering robust support for female leaders in sports. New networking events provided valuable connection opportunities for women across the sector. In April, COC adopted new statutes where two new gender quotas were introduced – one for the executive board and second for the controlling committee. The COC also stated its committment to reach 30 % of women in the executive board for the future. Additionally, a full-day coaching conference called “Bridges” (MOSTY) took place in September and, for the first time in its history, it was focused solely on the specifics of women sport. The Coaches academy also appointed 4 new women into the board.
COC’s efforts also extended into policy advocacy, with committee members actively involved in drafting a new law on sport. Across all divisions, COC engaged in ongoing conversations about increasing female representation, ensuring the female representation increase within all the commissions so women’s voices are heard in all areas. To promote safe sporting environments, the COC incorporated this topic into the National Youth Olympics, enhancing the experience for young athletes. The COC is also currently working on the Safe Sport Guide that should be launched in 2025 and is honored that in 2023 it started cooperation on the topic of safe sport with the Government office and the National Sports Agency.
The COC also bolstered communication initiatives, releasing two newsletters with open rates of 50 % and 70 %, respectively. Recognition efforts were strengthened by continuing to celebrate outstanding female coaches, trainers, and instructors through awards like “Female Coach of the Year.” COC members consistently contributed to conferences, seminars, and university discussions on gender equality in sports, reinforcing a strong public commitment to these goals. Finally, admission in the Erasmus+ Safe Harbour project will further strengthen efforts to create safe and inclusive spaces within Czech sports.
Even though important steps have been made to fulfill the high ambitions of the Action Plan, there are still areas which the organization need to focus on more to deliver the desired outcome. The election for the executive body of the COC will be held in the spring of 2025.
Stay tuned to find out more on the legacy of the project.
