Increasing the representation of women in coaching is a priority for the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC), which has approved a pilot 12-month programme to support women coaches.

A proposal from the Gender Equality Committee, put forward by HOC Secretary-General Stefanos Chandakas, was approved by the Executive Committee. It provides for a co-funded initiative to increase the representation of women coaches in sports federations and high-performance sport structures, according to the relevant announcement.

Who is eligible?

The programme is exclusively for new hires of women coaches and does not cover existing contracts or coaches already employed by federations.

Its aim is to provide meaningful incentives to bring new female talent into coaching leadership in Greek sport, broadening women’s opportunities for career development in coaching.

Beneficiaries will be selected by the Olympic Preparation Committee (OPC), based on specific criteria. The criteria will be detailed and finalised by the Gender Equality Committee in cooperation with the OPC.

Among other factors, the criteria will take into account competitive level, participation in national teams and international competitions, and the evaluation of relevant initiatives.

Through the initiative, the HOC aims to make a practical contribution to equal opportunities in sport, increasing women’s participation in coaching roles and creating more opportunities for them to compete at the highest level.