The Russian International Olympic University (RIOU) held an open online webinar titled 'Empowering Women through Sport: Student Voices on Women’s Participation in Sport' timed to coincide with International Women's Day. The event was organized by RIOU in collaboration with the International Society for Comparative Physical Education and Sport (ISCPES).
The session was moderated by Professor Rosa Lopez de D’Amico, a RIOU visiting expert and President of ISCPES. During the interactive session, students from 14 countries actively engaged in the discussion, sharing their perspectives on the role of women in the modern sports ecosystem.
Students from India shared their insights on athlete preparation in the Indian state of Manipur. Banavalikar Sainath Krishna noted that despite its small size and population, this state is a regular provider of Olympic medalists for the Indian national team: "Manipur produces many top female athletes because sports are part of everyday life there, and girls are strongly supported. Seeing role models like Mary Kom and Mirabai Chanu motivates young girls to train hard and succeed".
George Khumukcham emphasized that such success would hardly be possible without high-quality sports management: "Sports management strengthens this foundation by providing structured training, scientific coaching, nutrition, mental preparation, and global exposure, turning raw talent into world-class success".
Students from China, Jiaqi Xu and Biyu Liu, delegated to RIOU by the Capital University of Physical Education and Sports in Beijing (CUPES), presented their views on the development of women's sports in China and highlighted the importance of international exchange in this field.
The Russian experience in training female athletes also drew significant interest. Russia holds one of the leading positions in the world in terms of the number of "women's" Olympic medals. In Russia, women take an active part in sports management, heading leading sports organizations.
The lively exchange of opinions confirmed the importance of international cooperation in promoting the principles of gender equality within the global sports movement.
