WOA Executive Committee Member Nancy Hogshead-Makar Honoured by IOC

10 | 12 | 2014

WOA Executive Committee member Nancy Hogshead-Makar has been awarded a prestigious Women in Sport award by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The triple Olympic gold medallist accepted the prize at the close of the 127^th IOC Session in Monaco for her contribution to the development, encouragement and reinforcement of women’s participation in sport in the Americas.

Hogshead-Makar is a former American swimming champion who represented her country at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where she won three Gold medals and one Silver. Upon retiring she turned her attention to gender equality in sports and has been an advocate for women ever since as a lawyer, author, professor, public speaker and community leader.

In 2014 Hogshead-Makar founded non-profit advocacy group Champion Women, an organisation which is committed to using sport to improve the lives of girls and women, bringing together experts on equality to its board and working committees.

In a statement from the IOC, Hogshead-Makar is described as one of the foremost authorities on gender equity in sport and one of the most influential people in the history of Title IX, the groundbreaking legislation which has given women the same opportunity as men in US collegiate sports.

Speaking about the award Nancy Hogshead-Makar said: 

“Winning this award from the International Olympic Committee is as meaningful, powerful and heart-touching as the day I touched the wall in 1984 to win a Gold medal. 

“This award allows me to continue working with the amazing men and women in sport, who are as committed to the power of sport - for creating opportunities and breaking stereotypes that hold women back.”

Also honoured for their services to Women in Sport at the final session of the IOC meeting in Monaco were:

Meriem Cherni Mizouni (World winner) – Mizouni became the first woman to compete on a Tunisian Olympic team at the 1976 Games in Montreal.

Anastasia Davydova (Winner for Europe) – The Russian Olympian boasts five Olympic gold medals in Synchronised Swimming.

Aya Mahmoud Medany (Winner for Africa) - A modern pentathlete and three-time Olympian, Aya Mahmoud Medany first competed in the Olympic Games at the age of 15.

Sheikha Naimah Al-Sabah (Winner for Asia) – Sheikha Al-Sabah has greatly contributed to the development of women in sport in Kuwait and throughout the region though her administrative work

Sian Mulholland (Winner for Oceania) – Mulholland has been instrumental in developing cycling opportunities for women in Australia and encourage women to take up the sport.

The WOA warmly congratulates all Olympians and administrators who accepted awards at the 127^th IOC Session in Monaco and thanks those pioneers who work tirelessly to promote equality in sport.