Prince Feisal delivers speech at OCA seminar on gender equality in sport

AMMAN — HRH Prince Feisal, president of the Jordan Olympic Committee (JOC) and Executive Board member of the International Olympic Committee, reaffirmed the “vital” importance of gender equality as a driving force for social progress through sport.

Speaking at the opening of the Olympic Council of Asia’s second Gender Equality Seminar, held in Brunei Darussalam, Prince Feisal emphasised the need for adaptable and inclusive strategies that reflect the continent’s “vast” cultural, social, and economic diversity, according to a JOC statement.

He urged collective efforts to dismantle barriers, challenge stereotypes, and ensure the full empowerment of women, from grassroots participation to executive leadership roles.

“We cannot allow challenges to become excuses,” the prince said. 

“Asia not only has the potential to close the gender gap in sport, but to lead the world in doing so. As the largest continent, we carry both a responsibility and a remarkable opportunity,” Prince Feisal said.

The prince underscored that his vision, ever since joining the Olympic Movement at both national and international levels, has been rooted in using sport as a “powerful” vehicle for unity, peace, and “positive” societal transformation. Gender equality, he said, lies at the heart of that vision.

Addressing the issue of athlete safety, Prince Feisal linked safe sporting environments directly to the pursuit of equality, stressing that eliminating harassment and abuse in sport must be a top priority. 

“True commitment to gender equality and safe sport strengthens the Olympic Movement, making it more inclusive, inspiring, and in tune with the hopes of future generations,” he said.

Concluding his remarks, Prince Feisal highlighted that meaningful progress in gender equity cannot be achieved without a genuine commitment to integrity. 

He called on National Olympic Committees across Asia to embed gender equality at the core of their strategies and operations, in line with the Olympic values of unity and diversity.

Prince Feisal also took part in the seminar’s first-day sessions, which included workshops on the importance of equality in sport and discussions on the challenges and opportunities facing women’s participation across the continent.