Paris (AFP)

Gender parity in the governing bodies of the international athletics federation, World Athletics, will be achieved by 2027, its president, Sebastian Coe, said on Monday.

The proportion is currently a third of women among the 26 members of its executive body, said the official in an interview with AFP given during a #WeGrowAthletics campaign, launched on the day of the day. International for Women's Rights.

In 2016, when a rebalancing policy was launched within the bodies, "we had parity in the competitions, parity in terms of salary, but we did not have parity in the bodies," said the former. British athlete.

"It didn't make sense to have so much instinctive parity in our sport, where a female gold medalist gets as much money as Usain Bolt, and at the same time, (there isn't that parity) in instances ".

"Now 30% of the (executive) council members are women, Ximena Restrepo was elected vice-president in 2019 and our mandate is to reach 50% in 2027," he added.

This is the first woman appointed to this post.

"It is irrefutable that organizations that are not diverse and lack inclusiveness perform 15% lower," continues Sebastian Coe.

"I am not sure that currently a woman can close her eyes and imagine herself in my position. I want that to change," said the Briton, who wants to see more women become coaches and trainers.

More symbolically, the manager intends to introduce a change to the 2022 Worlds in Eugene in the United States: it will be the ladies' 4x400 m relay, and not that of the men, which will close the competition.

The International Athletics Federation has been criticized for deciding to prevent South African athlete Caster Semenya from participating in certain races because she refuses treatment to lower her testosterone levels.

The 29-year-old athlete, who has a natural excess of male sex hormones, has been in a standoff with World Athletics for more than ten years.

This question is "a huge challenge," admitted Sebastian Coe.

But it is about establishing "equality on the ground" and having a "keen awareness of fairness".

In a statement, World Athletics defended its position on the matter, calling for "lawful and legitimate" regulations and "proportionate means to ensure that all female athletes can compete on one foot. equality ".

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