The Women and Sport Commission of the National Olympic Committee convened a session in which the first agenda item, with the participation of guest speaker Dr. Ghasemi, Chair of the Peace and Sport Commission, focused on the theme of media and sport with particular emphasis on women’s sport.
Iran NOC; Tehran: Dr. Hamid
Ghasemi noted that in many cases equality does not necessarily mean fairness or
justice. From the perspective of media management and media economics, he
explained that the core capital of any media outlet lies in its audience. The
larger and more trusting the audience, the stronger the media’s position
becomes. He emphasized that even in securing advertisements, audience size is a
decisive factor. Therefore, efforts should be made to ensure that women’s sport
gains greater visibility and appeal in the media. He pointed out that
physiological differences between women and men create challenges in the media
portrayal of women’s sports. However, he introduced several key journalistic
techniques that can enhance the attractiveness of women’s sport as a subject,
including novelty, fame, conflict, surprise, inclusiveness, and frequency. He
further highlighted other elements that could support media coverage of women’s
sports, such as proximity, effective use of visual strategies, and the training
of specialized reporters in various women’s disciplines.
The second agenda item was
presented by President of the Squash Federation and member of the Commission,
addressing the reasons for the limited participation of women’s teams in
national leagues. The third agenda item was on the subject of athlete
protection. Presenting findings from her doctoral dissertation, the research
conducted with a large sample of both male and female athletes, examining
mechanisms for ensuring athlete protection was shared.