Memorandum to the Minister of Culture on the Gender Dimension in Sports

Dear Minister,

Dear Mr. Deputy Minister,

The 2004 Olympic Games in Athens brought sports to the forefront of European interest. The fact that this year has been declared by the European Union as the “Year of Education through Sports” makes it even more urgent to take action in promoting the sporting ideal in European societies.

At the same time, however, there is an increasing concern about the inequalities between men and women in sports. In recent years, it has become a common observation that sports are strongly characterized by the gender dimension:

• Sports raise the issue of inequalities: insufficient representation of women in decision-making bodies, differences in recognition and availability of resources in professional sports, and inequalities in income and media coverage.
• The special relationship that women develop with their bodies raises the issue of the coexistence of the two sexes in athletic activities, as well as the problem of dominant standards of female and male beauty.
• Finally, sports is a factor that contributes to the empowerment of women. It is an indication of the degree of freedom they enjoy, and in some cases, it serves as a means of resistance to the oppression that women face.

This issue has been of concern to the international community for some time. It was first raised by the United Nations World Conference on Women (Beijing +5 in New York). The International Olympic Committee has already organized two international conferences on gender inequalities in sports. The European Commission is considering organizing a Euro-Mediterranean Summit on the issue in 2003. The Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality of the European Parliament, which I chair, has taken on the task of drafting a report on this issue and taking relevant initiatives. The Greek Presidency has a unique opportunity to highlight the issue and take the lead in international discussions, making it one of its priorities.

In this context, I propose the organization of an international conference on “Women and Sports” in March 2003 in Athens, in collaboration with your Ministry and the European Parliament—mainly the Committees on Women’s Rights and Culture, Youth, Education, Media, and Sports. I had a meeting on this topic with Commissioner Mrs. Viviane Reding, who expressed great interest.

I am at your disposal for any clarification and future cooperation.

With deep respect,

Anna Karamanou