New Zealand Olympic Committee Receive World Women in Sport Trophy

The New Zealand Olympic Committee has been internationally recognised for the work it does in promoting women in sport at a gala dinner at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The IOC World Trophy for Women in Sport for 2015 was presented to the New Zealand Olympic Committee by the IOC President Thomas Bach at the annual event.

A 10-strong kapa haka group from London performed at the event giving the influential IOC members and international sporting leaders making up the guest-list a unique New Zealand experience.

In Lausanne to receive the trophy is Kereyn Smith, CEO of the New Zealand Olympic Committee who said she was delighted to come from a nation where sport is playing a role in creating gender balance.

At the London Olympic Games, 47.3% of our athletes were female and 50% of the gold medals were won by women, she said. We know that through sport, women can both build and demonstrate the same qualities that also make great leaders we have been working hard to strengthen and promote this link.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee has taken active steps to increase the number of women in decision-making and leadership positions both within the organisation and throughout the wider sporting sector. 

We believe gender balance leads to better decision-making, better organisations and ultimately a better society, she said.

New Zealand Olympic Committee activity includes the Aspiring Womens Olympic Leaders programme which supports female athletes like Sarah Cowley (heptathlon London 2012, high jump Glasgow 2014) and Cath Cheatley (cycling Beijing 2008) transition from the field of play to leadership positions within the work place. 

Constitutional changes and appointment policies have also been effective in ensuring gender balance on athlete, education and other commissions and the New Zealand Olympic Committee board. 

The New Zealand Olympic Committee also supports Sport NZ in monitoring gender balance on National Sporting Organisation boards and promoting the Women in Governance programme.

Awareness leads to change, said Smith. In 2008 50% of New Zealand sport boards met or exceeded the IOC target of 20%. Today that figure is 90%. On average there are 31% females on sport boards (eds. 2014 report) with a 2020 target of 40%.

A year-long research project on New Zealand women in the sports media in the build-up to Rio 2016 is also underway. Instigated by the New Zealand Olympic Committee and now supported by the IOC, Smith says she hopes this research can be rolled out internationally.

New Zealand Olympic silver medallist Sarah Walker (BMX) is also in Lausanne for the awards ceremony and in addition to attending the awards presentation she also donated her London Olympic Games PEAK tracksuit to the Olympic Museum and spoke to young members of a local Swiss BMX club about her experiences in sport.

Im so proud to see the black PEAK tracksuit I wore on the podium in London, emblazoned with the silver fern, here at the incredible Olympic Museum in Lausanne, she said. Its just fantastic to know so many people from all around the world will be reminded of just what New Zealand achieves on the world stage.

This is the first time the IOC Women in Sport award has been presented to a New Zealand organisation or individual. In addition, the presentation to the New Zealand Olympic Committee marks the first time a National Olympic Committee has won the prestigious award. The trophy will be presented to Smith this morning at approx. 0915 (eds. 2115 Lausanne). Australian Olympic gold medallist Cathy Freeman will also be honoured at the ceremony with a Continental Award for her work in Oceania.