The 4th National and 2nd International Congress on Women and Sports convened on October 19, 2026, at the National Olympic Academy in Tehran, drawing senior sports officials, university professors, and international representatives from the IOC and OCA.
Iran
NOC; Tehran: Opening the event, Dr. Mahin Farhadizad, Vice-President of the
National Olympic Committee and Chair of the congress, praised the undeniable
scientific, managerial, and technical role of women in Iranian sports.
Highlighting the reception of 250 academic submissions, she noted, “Today,
women’s scientific and executive capacities in sports are undeniable, and this
growing trend continues to flourish across all fields.”
Dr.
Mahdi Alinejad, Secretary-General of the National Olympic Committee,
underscored the historic transformation of women’s sports over the past four
decades, pointing to stellar achievements from the Paris Olympics to recent continental
games. “Past barriers have been dismantled, and recent events—where women
secured 40 to 45 percent of medals at the Bahrain Asian Youth Games and Riyadh
Islamic Solidarity Games—prove their remarkable competence and capacity to
match men’s medal yields,” Alinejad stated.
The
international event featured online addresses by Sabine Fakhoury from the
Olympic Council of Asia and Katia Chiani from the International Olympic
Committee, alongside specialized panels on media representation, sports
governance, and women’s leadership. The congress concluded with a high-level
panel discussion featuring federation presidents sharing practical strategies
for advancing female athletes.