Sport has a long way to go on diversity and inclusion, but Australia has made positive progress in recent years, especially in Olympic sports.
So today’s news that diversity quotas are set to be reversed in the governance requirements of the Brisbane Olympics board couldn’t be more frustrating.
Not only does the move affect Queenland’s big, legacy-building opportunity to host the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics and showcase the best of our shared values, achievements, and innovation, but it also jeopardises a commitment to diversity and inclusion—which the International Olympic Committee considers to be “integral components” for fulling its vision of “building a better world through sport.”
And it comes in the face of the IOC achieving a gender equal split of competitors for the first time in Paris 2024. A significant, historic win for women’s sport globally, given the restrictions placed on women’s participation since the inaugural modern Olympics in 1896.
The Queensland state government is pursuing changes to repeal the requirement that the board overseeing the organisation of the Brisbane Olympics be half-represented by women and include at least one Indigenous person, according to The Guardian today. The OCOG board will also be reduced from 24 to 15.
The Guardian reports that the board requirements changes are included in broad-ranging legislation. The bill, which is expected to soon pass parliament, is designed to “enhance the efficiency and effectiveness” of the planning committee by “removing certain requirements for the appointment of OCOG board directors.”
The bill is sponsored by Jarrod Bleijie, deputy premier of Queensland, and the above was not mentioned in a written briefing by the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning.
Tim Mander, Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, declared that his government has “accepted the recommendation” to “streamline” the governance arrangements.
It’s not like Queensland can’t find the required individuals to fill the board positions; the current 24-person board already features a gender split, and the Queensland government achieved its own targets of gender diverse boards back in 2019. Rather, it seems like a move by the current Liberal government to take advantage of the moment and quietly remove the diversity quotas under the guise of achieving a “streamlined” approach.
Last year, noting the gender equality achievement in the lead-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics, the IOC’s Director of Corporate and Sustainable Development, Marie Sallois (pictured above) told Women’s Agenda that one of the challenges is not just about achieving parity in the field of pay, “but to engage on how to get parity in all categories of personnel so that we have role models in every role.
A straightforward quota requirement for the planning board of a future Olympics would be an excellent first step in ensuring improved and sustaied respresention. Especially when we know there’s no shortage of talented women and Indigenous people who can support in making the 2032 Olympics the best the world has seen. And given women already outperform men in Australia in terms of obtaining tertiary qualifications and in terms of achievements in Olympic sports.