A new report by the SIGA reveals that women now hold just over 32% of executive positions across international sports federations, highlighting progress in representation but ongoing gaps in top leadership roles.
According to the 2026 SIGA survey, women occupy 32.02% of executive roles within the 30 federations that make up the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations. While this marks steady improvement, leadership at the highest levels remains heavily male-dominated.
Notably, World Athletics has reached full gender parity, becoming the first federation to achieve a 50/50 balance. Several others, including the International Equestrian Federation, International Table Tennis Federation, and World Rugby, report female representation levels between 40% and 50%.
Despite these gains, the number of women serving as federation presidents has declined from four to three since 2024, while female representation in CEO and secretary-general roles has also decreased.
SIGA leadership emphasized that while progress is visible, structural change is still required. The organization is calling for stronger diversity policies, measurable targets, and expanded mentorship programmes to support the next generation of female leaders in global sport.
The findings underline a broader challenge in sports governance: improving representation at entry and mid-level positions has not yet translated into equal access to top decision-making roles.