I’m not a sports fan. I follow the Olympics intermittently, more for what they say about the country than for the competitions. But, watching Milan Cortina, up until today’s closing ceremony, I can’t help but emphasize the memorable tally of Italian women’s medals.
A female prominence has emerged. Italian athletes aren’t mere extras, to be treated as exceptions. They are an integral part of the public image of Italian sport. They speak out, lead teams, and build recognizable careers.
In recent days, they’ve also been talked about as mothers, when they are, but not only. Motherhood has entered the narrative without becoming an exclusive label. Alongside that dimension were technique, leadership, ambition, and consistent results. A well-rounded prominence has emerged, not confined to one role.
Even those like me who don’t follow every competition perceive this clearly.
The problem emerges when you step outside the context of the competitions.
Data on Italian sports governance tell a different story. Two out of 50 National Sports Federations have female presidents, or 4%. There are no women leaders in the 13 Associated Sports Disciplines. Only one out of 14 (7%) of Sports Promotion Bodies has female presidents. This is a stark gap between competitive visibility and decision-making power.
This gap can be interpreted as a physiological delay. Or as a structural signal: Italian sport relies on women to represent itself on the track, but struggles to recognize them when it comes to leading institutions.
Milan Cortina ends today.
The issue of representation remains open.
And it concerns the way sport, and the country with it, chooses who can be at the center and who remains on the margins of the control room.
These Olympics can become an opportunity to address this issue, not just denounce it.
