Gender equality will be reflected at OBS's coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

MediaAccord attendees heard on SportAccord DAY 4 how the International Olympic Committee’s permanent host broadcaster, OBS, is aiming to provide coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games that reflects the gender equality on display among the competitors.

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The event is set to feature the same number of female athletes as male for the first time ever, but it is not just the field of play where gender parity efforts are being made. 

“[Gender equality] is not the case in media and we need to be very honest about that,” said Yiannis Exarchos, Chief Executive Officer of OBS, and Executive Director of the Olympic Channel.

“For OBS, it has been a constant effort. We have completely changed the balance within our own permanent staff and hopefully within two years it will be a 50/50 split. In key positions, like broadcast managers in Paris, two-thirds of them are going to be women.

“We have also done several new projects and we have trained new young camera operators and will use them in the Games.”

In the past, media companies have focused on particular athletes or people in the crowd considered to be attractive to the audience, but the approach will change in Paris.

“We will be using the updated version of portrayal guidelines that we are developing in the IOC to ensure that everyone working for us will respect the best athletes in the world for who they are – the best athletes in the world,” Exarchos said. “It will not be because they are men or women, attractive or have a bigger sex appeal. They are there for their athleticism and this is what shall be showcased by every single shot we take.”

Partners

The SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2024 is supported by a number of strong partners and suppliers:

Gold Partner: Sport Event Denmark

Silver Partners: EventScotland, Explore Edmonton, Tourism & Events Queensland

Bronze Partner: Sport Liverpool , Sports Authority Thailand

Official Suppliers: DB Schenker, Wiz-Team

About SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 

The SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit brings together around 1,500 leaders and key decision makers from over 120 International Federations (IFs), the International Olympic Committee, and organisations involved in the business of sport. 

The Summit provides an unrivalled platform enabling global business leaders and host cities to have access to all the International Federations and their stakeholders in one location over several days. 

This unique event is a combination of official sports meetings, networking gatherings, a themed conference programme, and exhibition space enabling International Federations, industry, cities and regions to showcase and advance their sport, services and facilities. 

About SPORTACCORD

SportAccord is a sports event organisation based in the Olympic Capital, Lausanne, Switzerland, and governed by stakeholders representing the Olympic and non-Olympic International Federations.  

It brings together International Federations and organisations involved in the business of sport with the aim to serve, promote and protect the common interests of its stakeholders, help them achieve their global objectives and facilitate knowledge-sharing.

SportAccord’s stakeholders include:

ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations)

WOF (Winter Olympic Federations)

ARISF (Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations)

AIMS (Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport)

Visit SportAccord.sport for more information.

About Yutang Sports

As one of SportAccord's Principal Media Partners, Yutang Sports is a Chinese leading sports marketing and media platform, with an ultimate mission to connect China and world through sports. After years of growing, Yutang Sports, with a comprehensive media and marketing promotion system, is now dedicating to reporting sports business and marketing trends, providing sports business news, analysis, and exclusive data reports in both Chinese and English. Having been cooperated with top-level domestic and international sports summits, Yutang Sports is opening a window for Chinese sports industry to embrace the world.