MADRID, 8 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The head of the Women and Snow area of the Royal Spanish Winter Sports Federation (RFEDI), Paula Fernández-Ochoa, stressed that women are “advancing” in gender equality thanks, among other things, to the project ‘Mujer and Nieve’ by Spainsnow, and affirmed that “there is no one to stop this small-big revolution”.
The presence of athletes, sports technicians and women in positions of responsibility in winter sports and the structure of Spainsnow is increasingly important. In this sense, the RFEDI board itself has an equal distribution in management positions with Cristina Penche Somolinos as vice president and head of the Inclusiveness, Sustainability and Solidarity area; Paula Fernández-Ochoa, member of the Board of Directors and head of the Women and Snow area; and Carolina Ruíz Castillo, member of the Board of Directors and head of the Athlete Care area.
Likewise, in 2022 the RFEDI has opted for the role of women in positions of responsibility, recognizing the work of Alfonsi Alhambra, manager of the federation, and Lucía Hoyo, deputy to the general management.
Regarding the number of female licenses, the percentage has experienced a slight rise in the 2021-22 season, from 38.61 to close to 40 percent and an increase of more than 200 licenses in the year.
On the other hand, more than 30 women were selected for training scholarships in different alpine, freestyle or long-distance performances in the concentrations held, between September and December, in Stubai (Austria), Planica (Slovenia), Baqueira Beret (Lleida) and Snozone (Madrid).
The head of the Women and Snow area of Spainsnow, Paula Fernández-Ochoa, highlighted that the Women and Snow area not only benefits individual athletes, technicians, managers and directors, but also reinforces the value of the RFEDI, of the winter sports and society.
“It creates a fairer and more equitable ecosystem, as well as synergies and efficiencies that make this relevance of women’s sport an unstoppable trend. The objective of the area is one of the pillars of the Federation’s Strategic Plan, 100% involved in defending the right to equality and non-discrimination based on gender, which we are applying transversally, with the Equality Plan, in each of our estates”, commented Fernández-Ochoa.
In recent years, the number of female athletes in all winter sports disciplines has increased, including rider Queralt Castellet, Olympic runner-up in Beijing 2022, María Hidalgo, María Iglesias, Marta Visa, Lisa Vallcorba, Arrieta Rodríguez, June Garitano, Nora Cornell, Marta Moreno, Olga Álvarez, Valeria Batire, Lali Masriera and Mónica Touriño.
SCULPTURE TRIBUTE TO BLANCA
On December 17, 2022, a sculpture was presented in Vielha (Valle de Arán) that recalls the figure of Blanca Fernández Ochoa, bronze at the Albertville Games in 1992, and what it meant for the impulse in the presence of women in the winter sports.
The event was attended by the president of Spainsnow, May Peus España, who valued this event within the activities of the FIS alpine Blanca Fernández Ochoa Trophy contested in Baqueira-Beret.
On the future of equal opportunities in winter sports, Paula Fernández Ochoa highlighted the progress. “We are making great progress in this regard with very powerful initiatives to promote the participation of women in all areas: sports, technical, and leadership and management. Our Federation and high-level organizational structures such as the CSD, COE and companies such as Iberdrola, for For example, they do not cease in our work to break down all the existing barriers to women’s sports to achieve full equality. There is no longer anyone to stop this little-great revolution! We all win and the RFEDI, I guarantee it, we are putting our glass of snow to make it so,” he said.