The BOIC is a proud partner of the European project 'GAMES'.
Since the launch of the Action Plan in 2023, the BOIC has already taken a number of important steps to achieve its objectives.
Since the launch of the Action Plan in 2023, the BOIC has already taken a number of important steps to achieve its objectives.
One of these historic decisions is to appoint, for the first time in the history of Team Belgium, not one but two female Chef de Missions. Nicky Van Rossem will be the first to take on this responsibility during the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Bakuriani in Georgia in February 2025. She states: "I feel supported by the team to be a leader that people want to follow, not because they have to, but because they want to."
In addition, Sarah Verzin will also fulfill the role of Chef de Mission during the summer edition of the EYOF in Skopje, North Macedonia: "In 2025, I will have the honor of being Chef de Mission for the EYOF in Skopje. This is a milestone for both my career as Games Operations Manager and for the BOIC. It is the first time that a woman has held this position for a summer EYOF. It's a challenge that boosts my confidence and with which I want to inspire other women to take on similar roles."
Cédric Van Branteghem, CEO of the BOIC, is proud of the way in which the BOIC can contribute to the development of female leadership. "As BOIC, we naturally have an exemplary role. With the Action Plan, we have been able to determine concrete actions on which we as BOIC have a real impact. But the plan was the first step. With these first achievements, we show that we are making conscious choices towards a more gender-balanced sport. I wish our two female Chef de Missions all the best. I am confident that this responsibility is in the right hands with them!"
In addition to the appointment of two female delegation leaders, there are many other achievements worth mentioning. Here are some examples:
• Management and leadership training for female employees: over the past two years,
various employees of the BOIC and federations, on the advice of the BOIC, have participated
in national and international training and courses on leadership and management.
• Supporting female candidates for board positions at international level: for instance,
Gwenda Stevens was recently elected President of the International Federation of Sport Officials (IFSO).
• Organisation of the SheLeads colloquium and launch of the LinkedIn group 'SheLeads' as a
consultation platform: through this group, members can share actions and knowledge to continue to inspire each other.
• Increasing gender diversity during the Paris Olympics and other delegations, in particular for general guidance such as the medical staff. Here we see a clear increase during multi-disciplinary training camps and competitions. At the Paris Olympics, the male-female ratio in the entourage and general officials was 65%-35%: the best ratio ever, but still below the target of at least 60%-40%.
In addition, Sarah Verzin will also fulfill the role of Chef de Mission during the summer edition of the EYOF in Skopje, North Macedonia: "In 2025, I will have the honor of being Chef de Mission for the EYOF in Skopje. This is a milestone for both my career as Games Operations Manager and for the BOIC. It is the first time that a woman has held this position for a summer EYOF. It's a challenge that boosts my confidence and with which I want to inspire other women to take on similar roles."
Cédric Van Branteghem, CEO of the BOIC, is proud of the way in which the BOIC can contribute to the development of female leadership. "As BOIC, we naturally have an exemplary role. With the Action Plan, we have been able to determine concrete actions on which we as BOIC have a real impact. But the plan was the first step. With these first achievements, we show that we are making conscious choices towards a more gender-balanced sport. I wish our two female Chef de Missions all the best. I am confident that this responsibility is in the right hands with them!"
In addition to the appointment of two female delegation leaders, there are many other achievements worth mentioning. Here are some examples:
• Management and leadership training for female employees: over the past two years,
various employees of the BOIC and federations, on the advice of the BOIC, have participated
in national and international training and courses on leadership and management.
• Supporting female candidates for board positions at international level: for instance,
Gwenda Stevens was recently elected President of the International Federation of Sport Officials (IFSO).
• Organisation of the SheLeads colloquium and launch of the LinkedIn group 'SheLeads' as a
consultation platform: through this group, members can share actions and knowledge to continue to inspire each other.
• Increasing gender diversity during the Paris Olympics and other delegations, in particular for general guidance such as the medical staff. Here we see a clear increase during multi-disciplinary training camps and competitions. At the Paris Olympics, the male-female ratio in the entourage and general officials was 65%-35%: the best ratio ever, but still below the target of at least 60%-40%.
Stay tuned to find out more on the legacy of the project.
