ICCE President Lorraine Lafrenière recently represented the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE) and the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) at the 9th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport, held from 9–11 July 2026 in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Under the theme “Beyond the Breakthrough,” the conference brought together more than 1,000 delegates from across the globe to explore the next steps in advancing gender equity in sport through leadership, participation, investment, visibility, and innovation.
Throughout the conference, Lorraine engaged with international leaders, policymakers, researchers, and advocates committed to creating more equitable opportunities in sport and ensuring that women and girls everywhere can fully benefit from participation, leadership, and coaching.
A particular highlight was the opportunity to connect with leading researchers in women in coaching, including Professor Leanne Norman and Professor Nicole LaVoi, whose pioneering work continues to shape global understanding of the experiences, challenges, and pathways of women coaches. These conversations reinforced the vital role coaches play in creating inclusive sporting environments and expanding opportunities for women and girls at every level of sport.
ICCE Vice President Professor Sergio Lara-Bercial also contributed to the conference as a panellist in the session, “Driving Change: International Federation Perspectives on Practices Encouraging Women as Coaches.” The session showcased emerging research on the policies and practices being implemented by International Federations to increase the recruitment, development, and retention of women coaches. It also introduced a practical checklist of evidence-informed actions that organisations can adopt to drive meaningful change, before concluding with a discussion among sport leaders on the lessons learned and the organisational shifts needed to accelerate progress.
The conference featured inspiring keynote contributions from global leaders, including IOC President Kirsty Coventry and World Athletics President Lord Sebastian Coe, who both emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum and translating progress into lasting systemic change across the sporting landscape.
The next IWG World Conference on Women & Sport will be hosted in Brazil in 2030. ICCE looks forward to continuing to contribute to this important global conversation and to championing the essential role of coaching in advancing equity, inclusion, and excellence in sport worldwide.
