#HereToStay

Dear Women Olympians Who Came Before Us,

We know that being a woman in sports has been filled with challenges. From gender discrimination to unequal pay, you have had to prove your talent and your worth over and over again — on and off the field, from hometown gyms to global stages. But you never backed down. Instead, you challenged norms, shattered barriers, broke records and inspired future generations with strength, grace, and grit - for yourself and for your country. We thank you for it, for all of it. 

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are the first time in history there will be as many women athletes participating as men. It took us 124 years to get here. In the 1900 Games the first women athletes competed in just five events. Only 22 women competed in tennis, sailing, croquet, equestrian and golf, representing just 2.2% of the total competitors from around the world. It is quite fitting that the Games return to Paris now with full gender parity for the first time, but definitely not the last. This forward progress is a testament to the efforts you’ve made to champion women in sports. And we thank you for it.

Past women Olympians across nearly all fields of competition have become synonymous with excellence and empowerment. But their performances in competition are equally matched by their commitment to equality outside the field of play. These women have used their platforms to advocate for a level playing field in sports and in society as a whole. They have taken on leadership roles in the front office, as coaches and as executives to usher in change for future generations. They have inspired women outside of sports to be daring, brave and bold. And we thank you for that.

Yet, as far as we’ve come, we can’t stop here. We need to continue fighting against gender stereotypes, advocating for equal pay and facilities, and making greater investments surrounding sponsorships, partnerships, ad buys and content. This requires an ongoing, year-round commitment, not just on International Women’s Day or surrounding the Women’s World Cup or during other tentpole events. 

We can’t do it without you. Please sign this letter and show the world that women in sports, especially Olympic athletes, are #HereToStay. With your support, we can continue to celebrate the game-changing women throughout history, the incredible women of today, and the trailblazers of tomorrow.

For every signature, Minute Media will make a donation in an amount of our discretion to Laureus Sport for Good’s Empower Girls Programme. We will all thank you for it.

Minute Media and our brands have been proudly supporting Women athletes and fighting for gender equity in the world of sports and encourages every business, within or outside of sport, to join us in this promise.