UCI Making Progress On Gender Equality

The SportAccord Daily features an interview with Amina Lanaya, the first women to hold the position of Director General of the International Cycling Union (UCI).

Here is what she has to say about the governing body’s focus on women’s cycling.

“The last year has been one of significant progress. The UCI’s Agenda 2022 – a roadmap for our Federation for 2019-22 – sets out a series of measures for women’s cycling and, more generally, for women’s place in the sport. I am thrilled that we have already implemented some major initiatives which will make a real difference in this domain.”

“The first I would mention is the adoption of a minimum salary for riders in UCI Women’s WorldTeams, the first division of women’s professional road teams which will be introduced in 2020. Men can already earn a living from riding, and our aim is to ensure that this is also the case for women. Establishing a minimum salary is a major step forward and will be accompanied by a series of other measures, such as better social security, to enable women to pursue their profession in better conditions.”

The UCI is introducing a new Junior Women category in cyclocross to develop the sport among young riders and encourage 17 to 18-year-olds at international level.

“In the same discipline we are pleased to have introduced equal prize money for men and women in the overall classifications (paid by the UCI) of the Telenet UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup. This will be matched by equal prize money for each individual round of the UCI World Cup (paid by organisers) by 2022.”

“We have drawn up a Charter to promote gender equality in cycling. One of the first measures adopted is a policy of gender equity within the UCI administration, which will become an integral part of the staff rules. The objective is to guarantee equal, respectful and fair treatment for all, particularly regarding recruitment and salaries.”

“The UCI also wishes to see more women represented on its executive bodies and those of Continental Confederations and National Federations. We have started a revision of our Constitution in this sense, which will be submitted for approval by the voting delegates at our 2019 Congress.”

“The UCI is taking steps to obtain EDGE (Economic Dividends for Gender Equality) certification in 2020. This is a reference standard to evaluate the commitment of companies and organisations to professional gender equality. Obviously, as the UCI’s first woman Director General, this is something close to my heart!”