FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10 May 2019
World Lacrosse Adds Its Support To The Brighton plus Helsinki 2014 Declaration on Women and Sport
GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA — World Lacrosse President Sue Redfern has reaffirmed the international federation’s commitment to furthering opportunities for women and girls to participate in sport by signing the Brighton plus Helsinki 2014 Declaration on Women and Sport.
The signing took place during SportAccord 2019, the largest annual gathering of leaders from across international sport and business.
President Redfern was joined for the signing by Australia National Team athlete Sachiyo Yamada; Irina Gladkikh, the International Olympic Committee’s Associate Director for Olympic Winter Sports Federations who also works on gender equity matters for the IOC; World Lacrosse Board members Fiona Clark, Ron Balls and Bob DeMarco; Development Committee Chair Rick Mercurio; and Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr.
“We are honored to add our full endorsement and support to the Brighton plus Helsinki 2014 Declaration on Women and Sport,” said President Redfern.“To do so at SportAccord 2019, and to be joined by one of our great international athletes, Sachiyo Yamada, and with Irina Gladkikh from the International Olympic Committee, makes this signing all the more special.”
“One of the core values of lacrosse is opportunity.As an international federation, we are committed to making certain women and girls around the globe have the opportunity to participate in our great game and benefit from the life-changing values of sport.”
Developed and established by the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport in 1994, the Brighton Declaration is an international treaty that has become a road map to support the ongoing development of a more fair and equitable system of sport and physical activity, fully inclusive of women and girls.
Its intention is to complement all sporting, local, national and international charters, laws, codes, rules and regulations relating to equity in sport and physical activity, whilst also setting an even higher benchmark related to the full inclusion of women and girls in all aspects of society. Those that endorse the Declaration commit to upholding the 10 principles that enable women and girls to freely and safely participate, compete and build careers in sport and physical activity.
In 2014, on the 20th anniversary of its original establishment, the Brighton Declaration was updated by the IWG to become the Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration, to better reflect a changed landscape, including major developments in international policy, while still holding true to the founding principles.
Today, over 550+ global organizations are signatories to this treaty – with more organizations joining every day. To become a signatory to the Declaration is to show a belief in, and commitment to, developing a culture that enables and values the full involvement of women in every aspect of sport and physical activity.
