Presentation of “A life in sports”, showcasing the findings of a study into the portrayal of women in sport

In view of the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milan-Cortina and coinciding with the month dedicated to women's rights, on Wednesday 19 February at Palazzo Marino in Milan, the Bracco Foundation, in partnership with the Municipality of Milan, Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 and the International Olympic Committee, presented the results of the first national-level study of the media coverage of the Paris 2024 Games from a gender perspective, which was accompanied by a photographic exhibition featuring women champions and experts from the world of sports.
How does the media portray women in sports? What are the effects of unconscious stereotypes and biases?

The research, which was conducted by Osservatorio di Pavia, measured the extent to which the media coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games (the first Games with gender parity) followed the Portrayal Guidelines of the International Olympic Committee. The study investigates the quantitative and qualitative performance of leading news broadcasters with respect to the content, images, words and sources used in their coverage of the Games.

The exhibition “A Life in Sport: The faces and achievements of “100 female Experts” features portraits taken by the renowned photographer Gerald Bruneau of 20 Italian women who are involved in the world of sport and are listed in the “100 women against stereotypes” (#100esperte) database. They comprise multi-medal-winning athletes, Paralympic champions, top managers of sports organizations, and rights activists seeking to make sports accessible for all.

In an era that calls for collective action to achieve gender balance and dismantle the stereotypes that hinder personal and societal growth, these projects offer a clear-sighted and candid view of the remarkable contributions of women to the world of sports.