’I don’t understand how’: Paris’ secret shame revealed

It’s been dubbed the gender-equal Olympics, but there is one statistics about the Paris 2024 Games that will shock you.

They’re calling it the “gender-equal Olympics,” but for those officiating at the Games, the name is far from accurate.

Despite Paris 2024 being the first to have equal numbers of men and women athletes – just 18 per cent of umpires at the Games are female or gender diverse.

Australian hockey umpire Aleisha Neumann is one of the 18 per cent of females who are offficating at the Games. Picture: Hockey Australia

Sport and Social Impact researcher Chelsey Taylor, from Swinburne University of Technology’s Sports Innovation Research Group, fears it is a group being left behind.

“Across all sport, we need to see equal opportunities for women, including equal power, equal value, equal access,” she said.

“This includes officials on the field who are more or less in control of the sport.”

It’s an issue the IOC say they are committed to working on – but the slow pace at which the figures are making their way to 50:50 has many concerned.

Just five sports this year have reached 50 per cent among their International Technical Officials at Paris 2024 – tennis, triathlon, canoeing, sailing and hockey.

Australian hockey umpire Aleisha Neumann – who is officiating at the Paris Games – told news.com.au she simply can’t understand why other sports aren’t closer to a 50:50 split.

Neumann started umpiring in Toowoomba as a junior to give back to her association and was able to work her way up slowly to national tournaments.

Aleisha Neumann playing for the Brisbane Blaze. Picture: Andrew Blanchard.

She said it was the simple decision for junior age tournaments to be officiated in a gender-neutral way that allowed her to climb the ranks.

“I don’t understand how or why other sports don’t follow the same process,” she said.

“Hockey has done well to ensure panels and opportunities are given equally which is so important. It means that there are viable pathways and visible opportunities for both genders to pursue.”

Neumann also said it was about providing young girls with the support they need to do the job well.

Hockey’s Oceania umpiring trio Amber Church, Tammy Standley and Aleisha Neumann. Picture: Facebook/Australian Hockey Officials

“I feel that it is often a perception that women are not able to officiate men, so in male dominated sports there is less acceptance for women to start and be developed as officials,” she said.

“The poor treatment of officials in many sports is also a big deterrent for people to get involved. The perception that a referee or umpire will never make a mistake or the acceptance of abuse when they do can turn people away.”

Estonian Badminton umpire Iris Metspalu, who officiated at Tokyo 2020, said mentoring schemes were also important when it came to lifting the numbers at the elite level.

“When I started, it was pretty much a man’s world,” she said.

“We just need to use our powers, our minds and all our expertise to get to where we want to.

“So, let’s do it. Take the help and really use it – and fulfil our dreams.”