Stand And Deliver: Athletes And Girl Power

My name is Jodie Williams, I am a British sprinter and two time Olympian, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Over the last few years, I have been very vocal about women’s rights and the need for people to have a platform to share their own story. Through this I have gained experience working within the non-profit sector, specifically empowering young women and girls and championing their education.

In my work off track I have become all too familiar with the plight so many women around the world go through on a daily basis. After the devastating death of Agnes, it became evident that there was work to be done within my own sport. I simply could not sit back and do nothing. More needed to be done than simply raising my voice, so I reached out to Mary Ngugi and Joan Chelimo, two Kenyan athletes who had been very vocal about the need for tangible change. This is how I joined the board at the Women’s Athletic Alliance, founded by Mary. I know first hand the power sport can have in empowering people; not just in an elite sphere but at every level. By coming on board, my hope is that I can provide the insights I have gained working within non-profits and that together we can create a united voice across borders.

The main mission of the organisation is to provide essential assistance for athletes suffering from domestic abuse. At the same time, we will offer mentorship and guidance to up and coming female athletes on the challenges which may arise, and their options in dealing with them. Across our social platforms we also aim to highlight and celebrate East African women who are doing amazing things, both on the roads and the track, providing a space for their stories to be told and successes shared. Mary shared the depths of the issues facing so many women in Kenya, both within their sport and in everyday life. “I have seen women constantly being abused and controlled by their husbands – they are treated like their property. These women have no voice, no power and in many cases no control over what races they take part in, or where their money ends up from contracts or race winnings,” says Jazmin. “We started WAA to help change the situation in Kenya and East Africa as a whole.”

Mary speaks of coaches and agents abusing their power in a young girl’s life, making the girls feel as if they are indebted to their coach for realising their talent. Their hard- earned and hugely sought-after shoe contracts are often being filtered through coaches, agents and husbands. The same goes for the prize money earned from races, in which they are often told to do, with no say in their own scheduling. In answer to this, WAA plans on building a trusted network of coaches, agents, lawyers and current athletes to help enact our three-pronged approach: celebrate, empower, protect.

“I want to join Mary and the girls to help make sure what happened to Agnes doesn’t happen again. All women should love themselves first and foremost,” Mercy adds, referring to a situation she has seen all too often with young girls in athletics. “Have the confidence and self belief, and be powerful enough to say ‘no – this is not right’.” “In Kenya the majority of athletes join running camps where they live and train, and for a lot of the girls this is where they can fall into trouble with coaches and agents getting involved.

“Through physically visiting camps we can connect current professional athletes with the younger girls to help guide them through any troubles they may face and talk them through what to expect whilst competing and travelling on the circuit”, says Mercy. It has been proven that sport can be a great tool to empower, according to the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women in “Women 2000 and Beyond: Women, Gender Equality and Sports. Women in sport leadership can shape attitudes towards women’s capabilities as leaders and decision-makers, especially in traditional male domains. Women’s involvement in sport can make a significant contribution to public life and community development.