CHANGE-MAKERS
While individuals may encounter difficulties in life simply because of their gender, skin colour, religion or country of origin, the Games, with the diversity of the athletes who take part, champion the right to be different. Participating at the Games may not change the world, but it can certainly help make a difference.
Anita Defrantz (1976-07-18) by IOCThe Olympic Museum
ANITA DEFRANTZ (USA, ROWING, IOC) - 1952- …
Both oars in the water in the fight for equality, promoting women in sport.
In 1976 in Montreal, she was part of the American rowing team. It was the first time that women’s rowing had been included on the Olympic programme, having been part of the men’s programme since 1900.
Having experienced first-hand the inequalities in a historically male-dominated sport, DeFrantz has worked tirelessly within various sports governing bodies to put women on an equal footing with men.
First female IOC Vice-President (1997-2001 + 2017-)
Chair of the Women and Sport Commission (1995-2014)
Honorary member of the Women in Sport Commission (2015-…)
Such efforts have seen positive results: as of London 2012, was the first edition at which women took part in every sport on the programme.
Team captain, women’s eights event at Montreal 1976 (bronze)
Women and Sport: the IOC's commitment
Chair of the Women and Sport Commission
Take a look at other inspiring Change-Maker portraits in our webdoc.
change-makers.blog-tom.com
Useful information about The Olympic Museum in Lausanne www.olympic.org/museum
