"The first thing I can say is that for about a decade there has been a very good evolution in women's participation. We are seeing more and more women athletes and coaches across the five continents and that is really great to recognise. Even in countries that were traditionally masculine, we are seeing the emergence of female athletes and women who are taking charge of the preparation of the women's and men's national teams.
We can say that the doors have opened. There were barriers but they are falling one by one. For me, it's really a great opening.
A few years ago, some countries did not really think about hiring women in technical positions. It is changing. This change can be explained in particular among seniors because there is now the possibility of participating in mixed team competitions, with the possibility of a world or Olympic medal. This obviously plays an important role, among other things, when it comes to developing women's practice. But when we observe the arrival of women in coaching, we can say that this is not the only reason.
When I observe the competitions, I can confirm that it is not easier for women to qualify than for men. The competition is fierce and it takes the total commitment of the athletes to perform. Female athletes today are more technical and more powerful too. They train very hard, like the men. The key to good coaching is to take good care of their competitors.
Let's be honest, there is still room for improvement. In some countries, for cultural, non-sporting reasons, women sometimes have limited access to sport and even when they do, they stop earlier than men. It's moving in the right direction though. We can also see that in other countries, where access was easier, there continued to be limits. For example, having a child was often synonymous with stopping a sports career. We now see that this is no longer the case. Pregnancy is no longer an obstacle, it is a stage in the life of our champions.
Coming back to coaching, if someone asks me if there is a difference between women and men, I want to say yes and no. Basically, there is no difference, except for an increased attention to the relational dimension on the part of female coaches. Then, let's face it, they are more organised than men. They never miss a paper or a form.” She smiles. “All their documents are always in order, they are more meticulous, I have found.
We still have progress to make in the area of parity. We are not there yet but I think it will come. Society is changing and the world of sport must follow. It is society that will push for more women. The current generation of female coaches have opened the doors. There is more professionalism. Before, women did not often take the path of high-level coaching. It was not an option. It is now. We see more and more women taking the reins of national teams. It makes all the difference and will do so even more in the future."
Society has changed and continues to change, this is what Elisabetta explains and as an attentive observer, we take her word for it. The doors are open and soon they won't even exist anymore.