Highlight of IAAF Year of Women in Athletics as International Seminar turns a Spotlight on Women
30 October 1998 - Granada - Spain - A major contribution to the IAAF’s Year of Women in Athletics, this year’s International Athletic Foundation Seminar: "From a Great Past to an Even Brighter Future: Women’s Athletics on the Eve of a New Millennium", takes place tomorrow (October 31) and Sunday in the historic city of Granada, Spain.
Among the 21 international speakers who have been assembled from around the world are former Olympic and World Champions Nawal El Moutawakel (MAR) and Fiona May (ITA) as well as Olympic silver medallist Grace Jackson (JAM), the President of the International Badminton Federation, Lu Shengrong (CHN), the Head of the Montreal IOC Accredited Laboratory Dr Christiane Ayotte (CAN). Among the other specialists are administrators, academics, coaches, doctors and marketing executives. The Seminar will be opened tomorrow by the IAAF President Dr Primo Nebiolo, with other opening contributions by José -Maria Odriozola, President of the Spanish Athletics Federation, and by Ilse Bechtold (GER) Chairwomen of the IAAF’s Women’s Committee.
Dr Nebiolo said: "With 1998 dedicated as the Year of Women in Athletics, we are glad to end the week’s activities here in Granada with this Seminar and I look forward to hearing the speeches, and discussions, over the next two days. But I would say that the IAAF has worked long and hard to improve the status of women in our sport and, in 1995, actually took the significant step of changing its constitution to ensure that two places on our Council be reserved for women - permanently. We also ensure that women athletes are treated exactly like men when it comes to competition awards. We make no discrimination and are happy to reward women for their good results.
"Another indication of the extent to which the IAAF is committed to women’s rights was seen earlier in 1998 when we agreed to give the Doha international meeting in Qatar Grand Prix II status only if women were allowed to compete for the first time ever. This was agreed and the meeting was an historic occasion."
Full proceedings of the Seminar will be available in book form.
SEMINAR PROGRAMME
Day 1
Opening Remarks
Dr Primo Nebiolo (ITA)
Prof. José Maria Odriozola (ESP)
Ilse Bechthold (GER)
Socio-Cultural Aspects of Women in Athletics/Sport
Socio-cultural Gender Stereotyping - Do Women Face Extra
Hurdles?
Prof. Dorothee Alfermann (GER)
Athletics and Motherhood: Training, Pregnancy and Childbirth
Dr Carmen Leon (ESP)
Women’s Athletics and Ageing: from the Athlete’s and
Administrator’s Perspective
Bridget Cushen (GBR)
The Development of Women Athletes
The Coach-Athlete Relationship: Necessary Skills for the Future
Dr George Anders (GER)
The Special Demands of Modern Athletics on Women - A Competing
Athlete’s Perspective
Fiona May (ITA)
Strategies to Develop More Coaches for Women and Women’s
Coaches
Elio Locatelli (ITA)
Doping - Different Conditions, Concerns and Dangers for Women
Dr Christiane Ayotte (CAN)
The Moroccan Experience
Fatima El Fakir (MAR)
Day 2
Commercial Forces, Marketing, Media & Their Effect on Women’s Athletics
Effective Methods to Promote Women’s Athletics for the
Mutual Benefit of Women and Sponsors
Grace Jackson (JAM)
The Media’s Evolving View of Women Athletics
Craig Masback (USA)
Commercial Opportunities and Marketing Strategies for
Women’s Athletics
Chris Horrigan (USA)
The Future Evolution of Athletics and its Impact on Women
The Women’s Role in the Promotion of the Sporting Movement
Evelina Christillin (ITA)
The Relationships between Sport and Political Leadership - the
Woman’s Role
Lu Shengrong (CHN)
Women as Administrators - Challenges for the Future
Margaret Mahony (AUS)
How Rules & Regulations can Encourage or Inhibit
Women’s Involvement in Athletics/Sport
Elizabeth Darlison (AUS)
Each Session will conclude with a Round Table Discussion
END