NSC, NOC Leaders Urge Journalists on Greater Coverage of Women in Sports
Oru Leonard
The Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), meEngr. Habu Gumel, and the Chairperson of the NOC Women’s Commission, Professor Florence Adeyanju, have called on sports journalists to play a more active role in promoting women’s participation, achievements and leadership in sports.
The sports administrators made the call on during a two-day seminar organised by the NOC Women’s Commission for sports journalists to strengthen gender-sensitive reporting and promote equal opportunities for women and girls in sports.
Olopade emphasised that women remained an indispensable part of Nigeria’s sports development, urging journalists to give female athletes greater visibility and adequate recognition for their contributions to the country’s sporting success.
He noted that improved media coverage of women’s sports would help challenge existing stereotypes, encourage wider participation and create greater public appreciation of female athletes.
Speaking at the event, Gumel highlighted the media’s influence in shaping public attitudes towards women in sports, stressing that fair and inclusive reporting could inspire more girls to embrace sports and motivate women to seek leadership positions within the sporting sector.
He described the seminar as a strategic initiative to reshape public perception of women’s participation and achievements in sports, commending the NOC Women’s Commission for its sustained efforts to advance gender equality.
According to him, the commission’s programmes have contributed to capacity building, mentorship and the empowerment of women to play more active roles in sports administration and development.
Gumel also described the seminar as a fitting programme to conclude the tenure of the current Women’s Commission, expressing satisfaction that its final initiative focused on the media’s role in promoting women in sports.
He encouraged participants to engage actively in the sessions, ask questions and acquire practical knowledge that would enable them to become advocates for women through responsible and professional sports journalism.
Earlier, Adeyanju, in her welcome address, urged journalists to use their professional platforms to promote fairness, inclusiveness and equal opportunities for women and girls in sports.
She acknowledged that sports had traditionally been viewed as a male-dominated field but noted that women had continued to overcome numerous barriers to demonstrate their abilities and achieve success across different sporting disciplines.
The NOC Women’s Commission chairperson said participation in sports offered girls significant benefits, including improved skills, enhanced self-confidence and resilience, while providing opportunities for personal development and long-term advancement.
She stressed that the media played a critical role in determining how female athletes were perceived by the public, noting that news reports, photographs and journalists’ attitudes could either promote or undermine women’s participation in sports.
Adeyanju cautioned against media coverage that focuses excessively on the physical appearance of female athletes at the expense of their performances, skills and accomplishments.
She called for the adoption of modern sports reporting practices that challenge gender stereotypes, highlight the achievements of female athletes and address the barriers limiting women’s participation in sports.
The chairperson further urged participants to share the knowledge gained during the seminar with their colleagues and produce compelling reports capable of inspiring younger generations of girls to pursue sporting careers.
She expressed appreciation to Gumel and the NOC Board for their support and commitment to the activities of the Women’s Commission.
The two-day seminar is expected to strengthen the capacity of sports journalists to report women’s sports more effectively while encouraging media practices that support gender equality and the sustainable development of sports in Nigeria.
