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AGENDA
Thursday 9 July 2026
LOCATION | THEME | SESSION TITLE | SPEAKER(S) |
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DAY 1 – MORNING: 9:00 – 12:30 | |||
Main Stage | Welcome | Welcome to IWG Women in Sport Global Summit |
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Main Stage | Keynote | Keynote address |
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Main Stage | Keynote | Keynote address |
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Overview: This keynote sets the agenda for the Summit – revealing how attitudes towards gender equality are shaping experiences in sport and physical activity, and what this means for organisations seeking to lead meaningful, inclusive change. | |||
Main Stage | Leadership | Rethinking Leadership: Leading through Challenge |
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Overview: What does great leadership look like today? Featuring some of the most influential leaders in global sport, this session combines cutting-edge research and real-world insight to challenge traditional models and explore how inclusive leadership can unlock potential and drive high-impact organisations. | |||
The Hive Lounge | Coffee | Coffee Break | |
Main Stage | Awards | The 2025 IOC Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Champions Award – Europe Winner Ceremony |
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Overview: Presentation of the IOC Gender Diversity & Inclusion Award to 2025 Europe Winner Michele Kang, recognising her outstanding contribution to women’s football through significant investment and lasting structural change. | |||
Main Stage |
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Overview: Following the presentation, Michele Kang joins Annamarie Phelps in conversation for a must-see discussion on the vision, investment and leadership driving the transformation of women’s football – and the opportunities ahead for the global game. | |||
Main Stage | Investment | The Business of Women’s Sport |
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Overview: What is driving the growth of investment in women’s sport – and where are the biggest untapped opportunities? Featuring leading voices from across sport and investment, this session explores the business case, the uneven pace of growth across markets and what this means for the future impact and value of sport globally. | |||
The Hive Lounge | Lunch | Lunch & Insight Stage Sessions
| Click here for more details |
Overview: A two-hour lunch has been designed to create space for meaningful connection, offering delegates extended time to network, build relationships and continue discussions. A programme of Insight Stage sessions will run throughout, providing additional opportunities to engage with key themes.
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DAY 1 – AFTERNOON: 14:30 – 19:00 | |||
Main Stage | Keynote | Keynote address |
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Overview: Session details to be confirmed shortly | |||
Main Stage | Awards
| The 2025 IOC Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Champions Award – World Winner Ceremony |
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Overview: The IOC Gender Diversity & Inclusion Award is presented to 2025 Global Winner Abhijit Bhattacharya, former captain of the Indian men’s national volleyball team, recognising his impactful grassroots work advancing inclusion through sport in rural India.
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Main Stage | Visibility | Beyond the Moment: Building Sustained Visibility and Impact in Women’s Sport |
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Overview: Session details to be confirmed shortly | |||
The Hive Lounge | Coffee
| Coffee Break
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Main Stage | Keynote | From Insight to Impact: Rethinking Innovation in Women’s Sport |
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Overview: Exploring the shift from insight to action, this session examines what innovation in women’s sport looks like in practice. It considers where the greatest opportunities lie, how the landscape is evolving, and how to innovate with intention to drive meaningful, lasting impact.
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Main Stage | Closing Words | Closing Remarks
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The Hive Lounge | Networking
| Reception and Insight Stage Sessions | Details to be announced shortly
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AGENDA
Friday 10 July 2026
LOCATION | THEME | SESSION TITLE | SPEAKER(S) |
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DAY 2 – MORNING: 9:00 – 12:30 | |||
Main Stage | Welcome | Welcome to IWG Women in Sport Global Summit – Day 2
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Main Stage | Keynote | Keynote address |
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Overview: Session details to be confirmed shortly
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Main Stage | Participation | Changing Systems, Not Women: Rethinking Participation in Women and Girls’ Sport and Physical Activity |
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Overview: Session details to be confirmed shortly
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Main Stage | Keynote | Keynote address |
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Overview: Session details to be confirmed shortly
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The Hive Lounge | Coffee | Coffee Break | |
Shift Session | Visibility | Who’s Responsible for Visibility in Women’s Sport?
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Overview: Who is responsible for visibility in women’s sport? This session explores why visibility is often inconsistent, the growing role of athletes in driving it, and what responsibility different stakeholders must take to sustain it over time. | |||
Shift Session | Leadership | Designing Leadership Programmes For The Future:
Part 1 – Lessons from the last decade |
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Overview: This session explores the experiences, challenges and defining moments that have shaped the journeys of women leaders in sport. Through personal storytelling and moderated discussion, panellists will share how they became involved in the women’s sport movement, the barriers they faced, and the lessons they learned along the way.
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Shift Session
| Leadership | Driving change: International Federation perspectives on practices encouraging women as coaches |
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Overview: Presenting research on International Federation practices that are showing positive signs of encouraging women as coaches, a checklist of practices to stimulate organisational action and audience interaction, and a panel of managers discussing learnings to drive organisational change.
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Shift Session
| Innovation
| Ethics-first tech innovation in the face of online abuse in women’s sport |
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Overview: Athlete-focused innovation that puts protection at the centre of growth in women’s sport. This session explores what ethics-first technology looks like in practice and how safer digital environments can strengthen athlete welfare, build trust and support long-term value.
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Shift Session
| Participation | Freedom to Move |
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Overview: Exploring what it takes to create safe, welcoming and inclusive spaces for women and girls, this session focuses on the concept of ‘freedom to move’. It highlights the role everyone can play, the need for whole-system change and how collaboration can unlock lasting impact across communities.
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Shift Session
| Participation | This Girl Can: How Change Really Happens |
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Overview: Session details to be confirmed shortly
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Shift Session
| Participation | Driving systemic change – how can we have more impact? |
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Overview: Session details to be confirmed shortly
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Shift Session
| Leadership
| Designing Leadership Programmes For The Future: Part 2- A Vision for the Future
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Overview: Building on Part 1, this session looks ahead to the future of leadership development, exploring new perspectives on who leadership programmes are for, the skills needed for the next generation and how to create environments that support leaders at every stage of their journey.
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Shift Session
| Visibility | Power of Visual Storytelling in Women and Girls’ Sport |
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Overview: Session details to be confirmed shortly
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Shift Session
| Innovation
| Fan-Focused Innovation: Co-Design the World’s First Women’s Sport Museum
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Overview: Exploring how women’s sport is recognised and remembered, this session looks at the vision for the world’s first women’s sport museum. It considers how co-creation can reflect lived experiences and what it means to build a future museum through participation, shared ownership and contribution from the communities it represents.
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Shift Session
| Participation
| Shaping the Journey: The Athlete’s Voice
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Overview: Focusing on the athlete voice, this session explores how better experiences for women in sport can be shaped through openness, challenge and strong values. It considers how confronting issues can strengthen both performance and community, and how values-led leadership benefits everyone.
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Shift Session
| Participation
| Liverpool City Region: How to Translate a Global Declaration into Local Action for Women and Girls |
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Overview: Session details to be confirmed shortly
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The Hive Lounge | Lunch | Lunch & Insight Stage & Posters
| Click here for more details
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Overview: A two-hour lunch has been designed to create space for meaningful connection, offering delegates extended time to network, build relationships and continue discussions. A programme of Insight Stage sessions will run throughout, providing additional opportunities to engage with key themes.
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WSI Open Session | Lunch | What Kept Us Going: Personal Journeys of Women Advancing Sport |
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Overview: Session details to be confirmed shortly
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DAY 2 – AFTERNOON: 14:30 – 19:00 | |||
Shift Session
| Investment
| Investment for Sustained Growth |
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Overview: Exploring the tension between investment and sustainable growth across global markets, this session examines whether current funding models are building lasting, independent businesses or short-term gains. It considers how capital and ownership structures can support long-term values, and the trade-offs between rapid growth and building foundations that endure.
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Shift Session
| Leadership
| A Global Conversation on Women in Coaching |
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Overview: A facilitated global conversation that launches something bigger than the session itself
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Shift Session
| Leadership
| Tested to Compete: The Science, the Politics, and the Price |
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Overview: Session details to be confimed shortly
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Shift Session
| Innovation | Community-Innovation: Design, Adapt and Sustain Gender Inclusive Solutions
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Overview: Exploring innovation in action, this session highlights how solutions are being designed and adapted to overcome cultural, contextual and systemic barriers to gender equality. Featuring insights from Olympism365 Innovation Hub innovators, it examines what it takes to design, scale and sustain gender-inclusive approaches for lasting social impact.
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Shift Session
| Participation | Shifting the Story
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Overview: A practical session exploring the power of storytelling in shaping how we think, act and lead. It focuses on understanding the stories that influence our work and how being intentional about the stories we tell can shift mindsets, behaviours and outcomes.
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Shift Session
| Investment | From Strategy to System: How Investment Makes Change That Cannot Be Turned Back |
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Overview: Session details to be confirmed shortly | |||
Shift Session
| TBC | Youth-focused Innovation: Navigating the Attention Economy for Girls and Young Women |
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Overview: Exploring the journey from elite performance to senior leadership, this session examines how to design impactful athlete leadership pathways that extend beyond sport. It considers why leadership journeys often diverge for women and men, and what can be done to create more equitable and effective routes into senior roles.
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Shift Session
| Leadership | From Podium to Boardroom
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Overview: Exploring the journey from elite performance to senior leadership, this session examines how to design impactful athlete leadership pathways that extend beyond sport. It considers why leadership journeys often diverge for women and men, and what can be done to create more equitable and effective routes into senior roles.
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Shift Session
| Participation
| Shifting the System: Advancing Equity for Girls in PE and Sport
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Overview: Session details to be confirmed shortly
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Shift Session
| Innovation
| Youth-Focused Innovation: Navigating the Attention Economy for Girls and Young Women |
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Overview: Session details to be confirmed shortly
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Shift Session
| Participation
| The Role of Men and Boys Stronger Together: A World-Leading Conversation About Why Men Need to Join Forces with Women for Gender Equality in Sport |
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Overview: Exploring the role of men in advancing gender equality in sport, this session considers why meaningful progress depends on shared responsibility and collective action. It looks at how men and women can work together to drive change and create more inclusive, equitable environments across the sector. | |||
Shift Session
| Innovation
| Transforming Sport Systems for Gender Equality Through Innovative Partnerships and Financing |
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Overview: Session details to be confirmed shortly | |||
Shift Session
| Investment | Session details to be confirmed shortly
| Speaker to be announced shortly
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Overview: Session details to be confirmed shortly
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Shift Session
| Leadership
| Built to Last: Power, Pressure and the Future of Women’s Leadership
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Overview: Exploring the realities of power, pressure and sustainability in leadership, this session examines how structures and culture can contribute to burnout and attrition. It offers practical frameworks to help leaders protect their wellbeing and agency, and the language to challenge unsustainable norms and lead more sustainably. | |||
Shift Session
| Visibility | From Momentum to Movement: Building the Next Generation of Fans in Women’s Sport |
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Overview: Session details to be confirmed shortly
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Shift Session
| Innovation
| Founder-Focused Innovation: Women Entrepreneurs on the Frontlines of Sport Innovation
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Overview: Exploring innovation from the frontlines, this session highlights how women founders are identifying unmet needs in sport and building solutions that create value for athletes, fans and communities. It examines what it takes to innovate under pressure, and why supporting more women-led ventures is key to unlocking future growth across the sector. | |||
Shift Session
| Participation
| The Oceania Impact Network – Strength of the Pacific approach: Proof that another way is possible
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Overview: Exploring the strength of the Pacific approach to community-led, collaborative change, this session highlights how the Oceania Impact Network is demonstrating that another way is possible. It examines the power of working across organisations, centring community voice and leading differently to drive meaningful and lasting impact. | |||
Main Stage
| IWG Secretariat Handover Ceremony 2026-2030
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Overview: Marking a significant moment for the global women and sport movement, this ceremony sees the handover of the IWG Secretariat from the UK to Brazil for the 2026–2030 cycle, signalling the next phase of leadership and international collaboration. | |||
The Hive Lounge | Reception | ||
AGENDA
Saturday 11 July 2026
LOCATION | THEME | SESSION TITLE | SPEAKER(S) |
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DAY 3 – MORNING: 9:00 – 12:45 | |||
Main Stage | Welcome to IWG Women in Sport Global Summit – Day 3
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Main Stage | Beyond the Breakthrough: What’s Next for the International Women and Sport Movement? |
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Main Stage | Keynote | Keynote address |
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The Hive Lounge | Coffee | Coffee Break | |
Main Stage | |||
Continental Sessions
| Continental Session – Americas: The Challenges and Critical Pathways for Gender Equality in the Continental Sports Ecosystem
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Continental Sessions
| Continental Session – Europe: Advancing Gender Equality in Sport through Policy and Practice
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Continental Sessions
| Continental Session – Africa: Advancing Leadership, Governance and Unlocking Investment for Women and Sport in Africa
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Continental Sessions
| Continental Session – Advancing Gender Equity, Safeguarding, and Grassroots Sport Across Asia
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Continental Sessions
| Continental Session – Oceania: A Blue Pacific Talanoa: Building an Inclusive Safe Sport Ecosystem in Oceania |
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The Hive Lounge | Lunch | Full details of continental programme to be confirmed soon
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DAY 3 – AFTERNOON: 14:00 – 16:00 | |||
Continental Sessions
| Continental Session – Americas
| Full details of continental programme to be confirmed soon
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Continental Sessions
| Continental Session – Europe
| Full details of continental programme to be confirmed soon
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Continental Sessions
| Continental Session – Africa
| Full details of continental programme to be confirmed soon
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Continental Sessions
| Continental Session – Asia
| Full details of continental programme to be confirmed soon
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Continental Sessions
| Continental Session – Oceania
| Full details of continental programme to be confirmed soon
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Continental Sessions
| IWG Global Summit Close
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Insights Stage | The Hive (Hall 3)
Thursday 10 July
Lunch Break: 12:35pm to 2:35pm
Dr Tara-Leigh McHugh
University of Calgary (Canada)
International Policy and Practice Recommendations for Pregnant, Postpartum, and Parenting High Performance AthletesEmily Cameron-Blake
WomenSport International / Global Sports Policy Ltd (United Kingdom)
The Global Sport Policy Tracker: Mapping Progress, Exposing GapsMaria Pernegger
MediaAffairs GmbH (Austria)
Visibility is Key! Equality in Sport Will Remain a Pipe Dream if Female Athletes Remain Invisible in the MediaProf. Camilla Knight
Greenhouse Sports (United Kingdom)
How Can We Break Barriers We’ve Never Even Seen? A Call for Real Inclusion for Girls Living in PovertyGabrielle Sabharwal
World Para Fencing (United States)
Beyond Boundaries: Reimagining Competition Through Mixed Teams in Para FencingTarja Krum
Finlands Svenska Idrott (Europe)
Equality in Action: How ENGSO Empowers Women’s Participation and Inclusion in European Grassroots SportNatsuki Murakami, Kanae Haneishi, Tabea Ulmer and Sonia Lamarre
WomenSport International / Western Colorado University (United States)
From Legacy to Leadership: Developing Emerging Leaders in Global Women’s SportLuiza Iglesias and Dr Carole Myers
Unfiltered Insights (United Kingdom)
Tackling the Pitch: Brazil 2027. The Moment is Now!Tahina Booth
Grass Skirt Project (Papua New Guinea)
The Bridge and the Vehicle: Building Pacific Capital Architecture Through SportEdith Zuschmann
261 Fearless Inc. (United States (Global))
261 Fearless: Running a Global Women’s Leadership Program for Grassroots SportAdriana Kelidi
St Mary’s University Twickenham (United Kingdom)
“More Than Just Hockey”: Exploring Friendship in a Women’s Sports Team
Friday 11 July
Lunch Break: 12:40pm to 2:40pm
Dr Sierra Keung
Pasifika Sisters in Sport (New Zealand)
Relational Power in Motion: Leadership Lessons from Pasifika Sisters in SportDr Ali Bowes
Nottingham Trent University (United Kingdom)
Addressing Policy Practice Gaps in Elite Female Athlete Health Support: Building a Holistic Athlete Centred ApproachLimenako Amelia Senekane
Heal Our Land Organisation (HOLO) (Lesotho)
Empowering Girls Through Sport: Table Tennis, Building Confidence and LeadershipDr Naime Usul
Atilim University (Turkey)
Digital Finance is the New Blue: Reimagining Investment in Women’s SportNancy Gillen
Touchline Women’s Sport (United Kingdom)
Driving Visibility, Investment and Impact: Why Sustainability Belongs in Women’s Sport StorytellingMaya Prentis and Lyney Penne-Douglas
Nielsen Sports (United Kingdom)
The 800M Opportunity: Building Sustainable Commercial Value in Women’s Football and BeyondAya Noguchi
Seijo University; International Research Center for Sport and Gender Equality (Japan)
Mainstreaming Gender in ASEAN Sports Policies Through the ASEAN Japan Actions on Sport: Gender Equality ProjectNozie Malunga-Payet
Women and Sport Botswana (Botswana)
The Impact of Engaging National Sporting Federations and Key Stakeholders in the Development of the WASBO Short and Long Term StrategiesNicki Russell and Claire Edwards
This Girl Can (United Kingdom)
From National Campaign to Local Change: Innovating with This Girl CanRashida Salloo
Ready Steady Active (United Kingdom)
Muslim Women Can Play: From Inactive to League Players
Digital Posters | The Hive (Hall 3)
Thursday 10 July
Lunch Break: 12:35pm to 2:35pm
Stephanie Coen
University of Nottingham (United Kingdom)
More Than Medals: Social Solutions for Gendered Health Inequities in SportTapiwa Masunga
International Tennis Federation (Africa)
A Global South Perspective on Barriers and Supports for Female Sport CoachesMatt Mulroney
IGSA Sport (Australia)
Empowering Today’s Girls Through School SportJanika Judeika
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (International)
Breaking Barriers in Motorcycle SportsYuko Sakurama
Japanese Center for Research on Women in Sport; Juntendo University (Japan)
Uncovering Women’s Leadership in Japanese Para Sport: Insights into Barriers, Supports, and the Way ForwardEmi Aoki
Japanese Center for Research on Women and Sport (Japan)
Designing Optimal Sport Environments Through Personality Based Framework: Insights from Japanese Female University StudentsDr Emma Ariyo
Gonzaga University (International)
Sultans of the Net: Media Framing of the Turkish Women’s National Volleyball TeamSanna Erdogan
Finnish Coaches Association (International)
Coach Like a Woman: Gender Equality ToolHadija Namanda
AWISA & TENA TENNIS ACADEMY & AQUA AKII SWIM CLUB (Uganda)
Champion Her Splash: A Mentorship Model to Keep Girls Swimming and ThrivingKaroliina Nissinen
ISSF Academy (International)
WISE Platform: Empowering Women’s Leadership Through Education and CommunityDena Merson and Dr Kate Clayton-Hathway
Racing Home & Racing Forward / Oxford Brookes University (United Kingdom)
Racing Home: Women’s Voices and Data Shaping Cultural Transformation in British HorseracingBelinda Zaparinuk
Comprehensive Breast Center Solutions (International)
Protecting the Game: Breast Health in Women’s AthleticsDr Mika Takezawa
Tokai University (Japan)
Initiatives of Japan’s National Sports Federations to Enhance Women’s Board RepresentationIsabelle Cayer
Coaching Association of Canada (Canada)
Building a Legacy: Lessons from the Canadian WAGE Mentorship Program to Advance Gender Equity in SportDr Michele K. Donnelly
Brock University (International)
Full Contact Inclusion: Roller Derby, Community, and Adult Women’s Sport ParticipationKathleen Russ
England Hockey (International)
Surviving the Messy Reality of Leadership: Leadership Across GenerationsSophie Power
SheRACES (International)
Why Inclusion Pays: How SheRACES Has Changed Endurance Events Through Insight, Advocacy and Commercial Evidence
Friday 11 July
Lunch Break: 12:40pm to 2:40pm
- Prof. Natsue Koikawa
Japanese Center for Research Women in Sport (Japan)
Girls in Sport: A Digital Platform for Adolescent Female Athletes’ Health and Wellbeing - Michelize van Heerden
University of Chichester SCDTP (International)
Are We Making a Difference? Rethinking Women’s Leadership Development Programme Evaluation for Global Impact - Allison Thompson
University of Leicester (United Kingdom)
“It’s Difficult to Say I Feel Welcome”: Exploring the Experiences of Women of Colour Football Referees in England - Dr Linden Moore
Northumbria University (International)
Women and Community Sport Board Composition: Kanter Group Analyses - Ari Koivu
LiiKe: Sports & Development (International)
Action Clubs: Key to Success in Girls’ Education - Jacomine Ravensbergen
World Rowing (International)
Leading the Shift to Female Leadership in High Performance Coaching - Ena Takezawa
Tokyo International University (Japan)
Effects of a Body Confident Sport Intervention on Rhythmic Gymnastics Coaches - Rebecca Partridge
British Gymnastics (International)
An Exploration of Coaches’ Perceived Capability, Opportunity and Motivation to Embed Female Specific Health Considerations to Support Adolescent Female Rugby Players - Mai Nakamura
Juntendo University (Japan)
Psychological Outcomes of Microaggressions Among Female Collegiate Volleyball Players: A Challenge for Safe Sport - Chih-Hsuan Wu
National Taiwan Normal University (International)
Mapping the Mindful Field: A Scoping Review of Body Related Self Conscious Emotions Among Women in Sport - Dr Lynette Ametewee
B.A.L.L.E Foundation / Silverstool (Ghana)
Beyond the Wristband: Rethinking Wearables for Youth Health, Equity and Inclusion - Prof. Hanya Pielichaty
Lincoln International Business School; University of Lincoln (United Kingdom)
How to SPOT and Challenge Gender Inequity in Sports Leadership - Dr Ainhoa Azurmendi Echegaray
University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) (International)
Women Coaches in Football: More in Number, More Qualified, and More Empowered Through Support Networks - Mx. Michelle Lees
Rikkyo University (Japan)
Caught Between Silence and the Spotlight: LGBTQIA+ Visibility in Women’s Football and Rugby in Japan - Jie-Yao Ma
National Taiwan Normal University (Taiwan)
Reclaiming the Narrative: UBA’s Hybrid Broadcast Strategy and the Empowerment of Women Athletes - Hatice Kubra Yilmaz
University of Chichester SCDTP (International)
World Rugby’s Leadership Development Programmes: Scrumming for Change