TOKYO, 02 AUGUST 2021 --- After the final, he called two members of the Fijiana team to come up and sit with him – a rare opportunity for athletes to share with the head of IOC. 

Bach’s visit to the Women’s Sevens Rugby underscores the theme of gender equality and his support for Oceania athletes that are here in Tokyo.

This will be a huge statement to Fiji, particularly in terms of addressing the need to change attitudes and mindsets toward women in rugby.

The Fijiana national women’s rugby team and women’s rugby clubs and players have come a long way with public attitudes and lack of support and while their TOKYO 2020 podium finish with a bronze medal has come a long way to mustering new support, there is much work needed to improve public perceptions and structural support for women in rugby, and women in sport in general.

This is why President Bach’s gesture has deep and positive implications for both Fijiana and all aspiring women and girls.

With regards to gender equality, President Bach’s reforms within the Olympic Movement, continuation of work prior, were put through the IOC Executive Board in 2014 - the strategic roadmap known as Agenda 2020 covered the issue and its Olympic-wide response in ‘Recommendation 11 - Foster gender equality’.

The closing report which now leads to the Olympic Agenda 2020+5 presented the following successes which will seep into the larger sporting movement globally, and certainly, within Oceania through ONOC and its Equity Commission.

Highlights included the following:

The IOC worked in close collaboration with International Federations (IFs) to increase female athlete participation at the Olympic Games and increase the number of mixed- gender team events. 

This resulted in women representing 49% of athletes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the number of mix-gender events going from 8 in London 2012 to 22 planned for Paris 2024. 

Also, since Buenos Aires 2018, all editions of the Youth Olympic Games have been and will continue to be gender equal with 50/50 participation.

Beyond participation at the Olympic Games, the IOC has also led the way to an increase in female representation in governance:Women represented 38% of IOC Members in 2020 compared to 21% in 2013. Five of them are Members of the Executive Board (33% versus 27% in 2013). 

Women also represent 37% of IOC Commission Chairs and 48% of IOC Commission Members (versus 20% in 2013).

Additionally, the IOC Executive Board in its decision in December 2016 recommended that “Members of the Olympic Movement ... set a minimum target of 30 per cent for women’s representation in their governing bodies by 2020, and to adopt accompanying measures that will help them reach this goal.” ‍

This recommendation was reiterated in June 2020.

ONOC has very proudly shared in March this year, as part of its International Women’s Day celebrations, that it has gone well beyond these targets at ONOC Governance level.

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IOC President Bach’s support to rugby and especially women in rugby will go a long way to underscoring the message of gender equality in Oceania, especially in Pacific island countries.