GC2018 leading the way on gender equality

Published Friday, 07 October, 2016 at 08:03 AM

JOINT STATEMENT

Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk

Minister for Transport and the Commonwealth Games
The Honourable Stirling Hinchliffe

The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) will be the first in the history of a major multi-sport Games to have an equal number of men and women’s medal events.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Commonwealth Games Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said having a 50/50 split of medal events for men and women was a step in the right direction towards greater social equality and inclusion in sport.

“Several events have been added to the Games program across Weightlifting, Boxing and Cycling, bringing the total number of events to a record-breaking 275 medal sessions,” the Premier said.

“This decision sets the standard for greater gender equity in sport and further demonstrates the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and GC2018’s commitment to improving equality and inclusion.”

The seven events added to the programme, taking the total number of medal events at Gold Coast

2018 to a record-breaking 275 medal events, are:

  • one additional Women’s Weightlifting event (+90kg)
  • three new Women’s Boxing events (45kg – 48kg, 54 - 57kg and +75kg); and
  • three new Women’s Track Cycling events (Keirin, Team Sprint & Team Pursuit).

Minister Hinchliffe said the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games was set to be the most inclusive Games in history, by also increasing the inclusion of people with disability.

“We’re delivering the largest integrated para-sports program in Commonwealth Games history, with more than 300 athletes expected to compete in 38 events, including the marathon and para-triathlon,” he said.

“It is a very welcome boost to world sport and more broadly a positive move for inclusion across the board - that has been a long time coming.”

“At the 1930 Games in Hamilton, Ontario women competed in just 12 per cent of the total medal events and 88 years later equality will finally be realised on the Gold Coast.

Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) Chairman, Peter Beattie AC said gender equality, the largest ever para-sport program, equal medal events across the sport program and focus on inclusivity would prove to be outstanding 2018 Games’ legacies.

“The Commonwealth is as culturally diverse as it is geographically which has contributed to an uneven gender ratio in the past, but we’ve looked at the sports - the team sport offerings and the individual and mixed events - and we’ve talked to the CGF and the sporting federations and we believe we have got it right this time,” Mr Beattie said.

“I am so proud GC2018 will be the first Commonwealth Games in history to present equal medal opportunities for athletes and para-athletes and I am confident the precedent we establish will augur well for future multi-sport events to emulate.”

Media contact:                    Minister Hinchliffe’s office                          0475 950 772