More than 100 people including university faculty and students, supporters of Women in Flight and leaders of national track and field federations from around the globe took part in a recent forum that called on themselves and other decision-makers to work on addressing the issue of gender inequity among the top levels of the sport.  Another hundred viewed online.

The July 19 event, “Out of the Blocks,” was held by the University of Oregon, USA Track and Field, World Athletics, and the local organizing committee for the World Athletics Championships Oregon22. At the forum, a panel of women shared some of the challenges they’ve encountered in the sport, how they have broken barriers, as well as their thoughts on ways to increase the representation of women and other underrepresented communities in the upper tiers and all aspects of the sport.

The panel, held in conjunction with World Athletics Championships Oregon22, was moderated by Olympian Stephanie Hightower, a former U.S.A. Track and Field president and chair of the World Athletics Gender Leadership Taskforce. She was joined by World Athletics Vice President Ximena Restrepo of Colombia; broadcaster Sanya Richards-Ross, a four-time Olympic and five-time World champion of the U.S.; Fatma Awale, vice president of Athletics Kenya; and International Technical Official Claudia Schneck of Brazil.

UO President Michael H. Schill opened the event by citing the impact sport can have in social issues such as gender equity by bringing communities together and fostering goodwill.

“We believe sport and society are inherently linked and we have the responsibility to act for the greater good including social justice, mental and behavioral health and today’s important subject of women in sport,” Schill said. He noted the UO’s Sport and Wellness Initiative as one effort by the university to address the complex issues facing sport and society.

Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, the international governing body of track and field, joined Schill, and admitting that it may have sounded counterintuitive, began by thanking the men in attendance at the forum, adding that both men and women are needed to create equality.

“If you want societal change, which we do, but only half of society is engaged in that change, you are only going to get half the change,” he said.

Hightower noted the importance of having more representation in key positions as one step toward a solution.

“We as women know we have the ability, but also have to be in the rooms and have someone in the room speaking for us,” Hightower said.

Richards-Ross said any organization improves with a greater diversity of voices at the table, whether that is based on gender, race or other factors, and she wants to help make that happen.

“That is my drive,” she said. “I want to walk through doors athletes haven’t been through. I want to continue to break glass ceilings and for young women to know the skills they learn in sports are transferrable.”

She noted the importance of representation in increasing diversification, and added that she tries to elevate women whenever she can in her role as a track and field commentator.

“I’m extremely intentional in how I speak about women in sport and how I highlight the accomplishments of women in sport,” Richards-Ross said.

Awale made a quick ascension in Kenya’s athletics federation to become its first female vice president and the sole Muslim on its leadership team, but said much room for improvement remains.

“I think we are changing in terms of allowing women, but I think we’ve had to fight for a space,” Awale said.

“I’m hoping this will be a journey of more participation and trying to improve women and to promote women, and at same time encourage youngsters, because they are the ones looking up to us,” Awale added.

Schneck said it’s important for women to set their sights on how high they want to climb and then use all the resources available to them to reach that goal.

“The first thing we need to ask for all of us is what do I want,” Schneck said. “We need to have access, to have a course, but access is the first point.”

A common theme through the forum was for women who rise to positions of power to reach back and help others attain greater heights, too.

“We need more opportunities for women and more men to help us get there and more women to get out of their comfort zone and embrace new challenges,” Restrepo added.

The event concluded with those in attendance being asked to sign a pledge to achieve a number of goals for their federations by 2027, including member federation boards, coaches and officials to be comprised of 40 percent women; ensuring pay equity; and creating more opportunities for women in areas throughout the sport.

As part of its theme of “driving change,” the local organizing committee for the championships hopes to establish a blueprint that will be used by World Athletics as an ongoing approach for delivering championships in the future, with the forum as part of that push for greater diversity and inclusion.

“This Is also about how this momentum continues,” Hightower concluded. “How do we begin to continue this work? By signing this pledge today, this begins to continue the momentum for the excitement you’ve seen in this room and heard in this room today.”