Kirsty Coventry used her address to the IWG Global Summit on Women in Sport in Birmingham to champion gender equality and outline how the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is advancing this under her presidency.

Coventry, who became the first woman and first African to lead the IOC in 2025, linked her remarks to the organisation’s Fit for the Future agenda, adopted by the IOC Session in June. The reforms are intended to guide the Olympic Movement’s long-term strategy and include gender equality among their priorities.

“A breakthrough matters – the first woman to lead,” she said. “But the real test is what happens after that. Do we simply admire the person who broke through, or do we make sure she opens the door wide enough for others to walk through behind her?”

Leadership and representation

Coventry reflected on the women who shaped her own career, including her coach, Kim, who supported her development at a time when female coaches were far less common in elite sport.

“She was leading her team, raising a family, showing up every single day, and for me that was normal – and more importantly it was powerful.”

When Coventry was campaigning for the IOC presidency, she was pregnant with her second daughter. “She was born just months before the election, so I travelled with a young baby and it never occurred to me for one moment that I needed to hide that part of my life.”

Coventry argued that women should not feel compelled to imitate male leadership styles in order to succeed.

“For too long we have been told that to be taken seriously women must lead like men. I don’t believe that,” she said. “We need women to lead with confidence in who they are.”

The IOC’s gender-equality agenda

The IOC has already reached gender parity on the field of play at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Coventry said the organisation is now working towards the first gender-equal Olympic Winter Games at the French Alps in 2030.

She said the next phase must focus on increasing the number of women in coaching, officiating and senior decision-making roles across sport. The IOC is leading by example here, with women making up 43 per cent of IOC Members.

“When organisations place women in positions of real responsibility, they send a very strong message to the next generation that your voice is needed and heard.”

Coventry also called on sports organisations to set goals and measure progress on gender equality, and to make sport safer and more inclusive for women and girls.

“Sport can only have impact when opportunity is real, when a girl feels safe at training, when she has access to a coach who believes in her, when she can see people like herself in positions of leadership, when her family and community understand that sport is not a distraction from her future… that is why this work is important.”

Protecting the female category

She also addressed the issue of eligibility criteria.

“Early in my presidency we took an important decision to strengthen the protection of the female category in elite sport. It is about making sure that biological female athletes can compete at the Olympic Games in conditions that are fair and safe.

“More broadly, Fit for the Future is about keeping the Olympic Movement strong, relevant and impactful in a changing world.”

A shared responsibility

Coventry said the IOC could not achieve these changes alone and emphasised the need to work with governments, civil society, the private sector and men.

“Gender equality is not a women’s issue,” she said. “Men must be allies… Women must be supported not just when they break through, but throughout their entire journey.”

Coventry said the success of her presidency should be measured by whether it creates opportunities for more women to follow.

“That is how we move beyond the breakthrough – not by celebrating the first woman forever, but by making sure she is never the last.”

The 9th IWG Global Summit has confirmed the speakers and partnerships that will shape the world’s foremost gathering on gender equality in and through sport when it opens at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham this July.

Kirsty Coventry OLY, Dame Denise Lewis OLY, Lord Sebastian Coe OLY, Baroness Katherine Grainger DBE, Amanda Staveley and Kelly Beaver MBE are among the headline speakers, with Procter & Gamble, Standard Chartered, Sky and This Girl Can among major global partners aligned behind the mission.

The announcement comes at a pivotal moment for gender equality in sport and physical activity worldwide. While women’s sport is experiencing unprecedented growth in some markets, progress remains uneven. Across the globe, women and girls continue to face barriers ranging from gender-based violence and harmful stereotypes to unequal investment, representation and access.

The Summit will bring together global leaders, policy makers, academics and practitioners committed to accelerating progress and driving meaningful, lasting change, sharing what works and how.

Confirmed speakers include:

Kirsty Coventry OLY, President of the International Olympic Committee

Dame Denise Lewis OLY, President of UK Athletics

Lord Sebastian Coe OLY, President of World Athletics

Michele Kang, President of OL Lyonnes and Olympique Lyonnais

Baroness Katherine Grainger DBE OLY, Chair of the British Olympic Association

Amanda Staveley, one of the most influential figures in global sports investment

Kelly Beaver MBE, Chief Executive of IPSOS UK & Ireland

Professor Laura McAllister CBE, UEFA Vice President

Richard Allcroft OBE, President World Wheelchair Rugby

Fabio Azevedo, President Int Volleyball Federation

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson PLY, British life peer and multiple-time Paralympic Champion

Staged from 9–11 July 2026, the Summit will bring together up to 1,000 delegates from over 80 countries across the globe, including government ministers, international federation leaders, grassroots change-makers, global corporations, academics and athletes.

Across three days, the conversations, relationships and ideas formed in Birmingham will help shape what comes next for women and girls in sport and physical activity worldwide.

Major global partners announced today include Procter & Gamble, Standard Chartered, Sky and This Girl Can, reflecting the growing commercial and institutional investment in women’s sport and gender equality and equity worldwide.

Procter & Gamble joins as Official Insight Stage & Hive Partner, bringing its long history of championing women and girls in sport through brands such as Always, Olay and Venus to support the Summit’s research and knowledge exchange agenda.

Allison Tummon Kamphuis, Vice-President, Communications, Global Citizenship, P&G, said:"For decades, P&G brands like Pantene, Tampax, Olay and Venus have championed women and girls in sport, removing barriers and increasing their visibility and participation. We've seen firsthand how sport builds confidence, teaches invaluable leadership skills – like teamwork, resilience, and discipline – and creates opportunities for women and girls to thrive.

“We also recognise the significant cultural impact of women in sport today, helping us authentically connect with and champion more women and girls through our brands and partnerships such as with the WNBA. Our collaboration with global leaders at the 9th IWG Global Summit is another important way we will continue to inspire the next generation of sporting champions and leaders, both on and off the court."

Standard Chartered joins as Official ‘Leadership’ Theme Partner, alongside Sky as ‘Visibility’ Theme Partner, and This Girl Can as a funding partner of IWG, with funding provided by the National Lottery via Sport England.

Erica Kerner, Standard Chartered’s Head of Brand Partnerships and Sponsorships, said: “Standard Chartered is committed to driving shared prosperity across our markets, especially for women and girls. This is reflected across our business and network, including through our mentorship for women-led SMEs, through our SC Win programme designed to empower women entrepreneurs, and through our sports partnerships – both as Main Club Partner with Liverpool FC Women and now as Official Partner of the F1 ACADEMY™. We believe that championing the next generation of female talent is a cornerstone of growth and development and as Official Leadership Theme Partner at this year’s IWG Global Summit, we look forward to driving discussion in this space, with the ultimate ambition of helping girls to play on.”

Kate Dale, Director of Marketing and This Girl Can at Sport England, said: “The visibility and momentum of women’s sport over the past decade is to be celebrated. But we cannot be complacent; progress can be fragile, the stubborn gender activity gap still persists and many women still face major barriers to being active. IWG is a moment to reflect on how far we have come but to look unflinchingly at the journey ahead to achieve true gender equality in sport & physical activity.”

Jo Osborne, Head of Women’s Sport at Sky, said: "Visibility plays a critical role in driving progress in women’s sport - but it only delivers if it’s sustained. Sky has championed women's sport for over thirty years, and as the UK's leading investor in women's sports rights we’ve seen that consistent, high-quality coverage builds audiences, shifts perceptions and creates the conditions for long-term growth.As the IWG Global Summit's Visibility Partner, we’re proud to help move the conversation beyond breakthrough moments: bringing together the partnerships and ideas needed to build visibility that lasts, and unlocking greater opportunity for women and girls in sport.”

The Summit’s five themes - Leadership, Innovation, Participation, Visibility and Investment - will explore what it takes to move “beyond the breakthrough” and create lasting systemic change for women and girls in sport and physical activity.

Annamarie Phelps CBE OLY, Chair of IWG UK, said: “This line-up reflects the extraordinary momentum behind women’s sport globally, and the once in four years opportunity to be part of a global exchange to accelerate progress. When leaders of this calibre choose to come to Birmingham in July, they do so because they know this is where the conversations will happen to shape what comes next for women and girls in sport worldwide. The IWG Global Summit is a catalyst for the systemic change the sector demands.”

Tickets for the 9th IWG Global Summit, which only convenes once every four years, are on sale now at iwgglobalsummit2026.org.