Sailing provides the blueprint for gender equality ahead of landmark Paris 2024 Olympic Games

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be the first Olympic Games where two of the three Chief roles in the sailing event will be held by female officials. Pinar Coskuner Genç (TUR) has been appointed Principal Race Officer and Ana Sanchez Del Campo Ferrer (ESP), currently the Chair of the Racing Rules Committee, will Chair the International Jury in 2024.

Each will lead a team responsible for organising and officiating the racing of each Olympic Event alongside a team of additional International Race Officers to ensure a fair competition for all participants.

Both Pinar and Ana are vastly experienced and well respected within the sport and have welcomed the moves by the International Olympic Committee and World Sailing to address the imbalance at the Games, both in terms of athletes and officials.

Speaking at the Hempel World Cup Series at the 51 Trofeo Princesa Sofia regatta in Palma, Mallorca, Pinar said, “The focus should not be on gender, but on the person.”

“Life is shared between men and women and so should sailing. The Steering the Course initiative is a very good example of a project for women’s involvement in sailing.”

The Paris 2024 Games is set to be the first to achieve a 50-50 split between male and female athletes, building on the progress made at both Rio 2016 (47.5%) and Tokyo 2020 (48.8%) – and a significant improvement on Atlanta 1996, which recorded just 34% female participation.

Ana agrees, explaining: “I think the sport in general is an optimal environment to eliminate differences and behaviours that prevent inclusion.”

“A sailing event, where people from different parts of the globe meet together for several days and share time and efforts and experiences is the perfect scenario to show those who still have some resistance that the world is walking in the opposite direction.”

World Sailing has made gender equity and inclusivity a priority and to achieve this goal for Paris 2024 would be a huge step forward for the sport, especially ahead of the LA28 Games and the campaign to regaining para sailing’s place at the Paralympic Games.

“Equality in sport, and the world, is achievable and only requires us to believe it. Such a world would emphasise the similarities and focus on the diversity which makes us equal human beings,” Pinar explains. “Role models should be encouraged and their stories told to inspire more women to dare.”

“I am sure there are still areas where more work is necessary but, in general, my feeling is that the sailing family should be proud of the goals we have all achieved in terms of inclusivity after years of open support to women,” adds Ana.

“Of course, we all need to keep on working I order to make sailing attractive and safe for all, but it has to be a compromise of all bodies involved, from the top international bodies to the national federations, from the national teams to the local club fleets. Women in the sport will attract more women to the sport. I think it should be is as simple as that.”

World Sailing is aiming to take another step towards equality and inclusivity this year when Steering the Course – the global women’s sailing festival – returns to emphasise the opportunities for women at all levels of the sport.

• Northern Hemisphere Festival – Friday 20 to Sunday 29 May 2022
• Southern Hemisphere Festival – Friday 30 September to Sunday 9 October 2022

Over 30 groups have already signed up to take part in May and World Sailing will be looking at beating the number of participating countries from last year.

Sign up for Steering the Course 2022 here and share your events on social media using the hashtag #SteeringTheCourse.