Silvia Donatiello’s Post

Gender equality in sports is not only about fairness but also about integrity and giving equal opportunities to the other half of humanity…. It is essential for the growth of sports.

Thanks to Cycling Industry News and Danielle Reiff-Jongerius for giving Karla Sommer of VELOKIN and me the opportunity to shed light on the topic of diversity and equality in the Cycling Industry from our personal perspective. It is in the nature of my work to be active in the background. Our customers' messages are relevant, not our own opinions. But on some issues we are obliged to come to the fore and speak up — on behalf of all those who don't have the opportunity to do so but are confronted with similar circumstances. Disclaimer: There is a possibility that some people may feel provoked or find the content polarizing. If so, why do you feel that way? Opinions are never 100% objective, just like the experience and knowledge on which they are formed and based. But it is certainly not the aim to spare the feelings of those who are responsible for the experiences described, or to gloss over things that are not nice. At the same time, it is a great privilege to be able to work with customers and partners for whom these topics are no longer an issue, because respect is something that goes without saying. We look forward to a lively discussion. #cyclingindustry #equality #diversity #opinion #womenincycling

In a male-dominated cycling arena, we're really proud of the fact that 64% of our Rider Community are female 🚲 🎉 But it raises the question of why? When it comes to concerns about cycling there are many that are unique to women. And, despite all the progress, women are still disproportionately responsible for looking after children and doing domestic tasks, which has made using a bike as transportation relatively unviable. E-cargo bikes are answering some of these challenges, and so is our our service offering, which makes our customers feel safer and more supported on the road. Find out more about the challenges facing women in cycling and what we can do about it in our latest blog post 👉 https://lnkd.in/gw7k2FwG #IWD #InternationalWomensDay #InvestInWomen #WomenInCycling #inspireinclusion #micromobility #OneLessCar #NoCarNoWorries #GoodMove #LugAndCarrie

In 2017, my wife, then Australia's highest-ranked and most successful female cyclist, challenged a team selection decision made by the governing body of cycling in Australia. The appeal, widely covered in the national media, highlighted clear elements of gender discrimination in the selection. Despite being ranked #3 in the world, the selectors did not field a full women's team, severely undermining their chances of success. They had selected for the lower ranked men a full compliment of riders. Chloe was successful in her appeal and the selectors were instructed to revise their decision. Ultimately selecting a full team of women. The women went on to win silver at the World Championship, while the men took bronze. Fast forward to 2024, and AusCycling is again disadvantaging our female cyclists. For the upcoming Junior World Championships, they have chosen to send no junior women as part of the ARA Australian Cycling Team, despite selecting three men. This decision is particularly egregious given that the event is funded by the athletes' families, not by AusCycling. There were qualified junior women who expressed interest, demonstrated their capability at selection events, and met the defined requirements to be selected, yet they have been denied the opportunity to compete on the international stage. It is indefensible that AusCycling would not provide junior women the same opportunities as their male counterparts. Gender equality in sports is not just a matter of fairness; it is essential for the growth and integrity of the sport. It will possibly be lost in the wash of Olympic selections and appeals, but this is yet another chapter in Australian cycling's history of discriminating against women and denying them access to opportunities they rightly deserve. You can find a link to the article in the comments below. It is worth addressing the comment made at the bottom of the press release which states, "Following considered review, no junior women were endorsed by the AusCycling National Selection Panel. An alternative international race experience has been offered to assist their development pathway towards selection in 2025." This is in line with the same development opportunity provided to the U19 men earlier this year, which no women were invited to participate in, that provided the international experience referenced being possessed by the junior men that were selected. ARA Group Edward Federman Simon Jones Alison McCormack Allison McCann Marne Fechner Craig Bingham GWM Australia & New Zealand Steve Maciver Kieran Pender Stephen Drill Katherine Bates OLY Gus McCubbing Rik Fulcher Jesse Korf Anika Wells Bridie O'Donnell Gracie Elvin OLY Jessica Allen Chloe Hosking OLY Kate Palmer

Pedals of Progress: Women Steering the Cycling Revolution On International Women's Day, we spotlight the indelible mark women have made on the cycling landscape. From early adventurers defying norms to modern-day champions breaking records, women have cycled beyond mere recreation, using bikes as instruments of empowerment and change. Historic figures like Annie Londonderry set the wheels of change in motion, proving the bicycle to be a symbol of freedom. The competitive scene too has seen legends; Beryl Burton and Marianne Vos are just the tip of the iceberg, inspiring a new generation of female cyclists. Beyond competition, women have spearheaded cycling advocacy, pushing for safer and more inclusive spaces for all cyclists. Innovations in design and technology also bear the mark of women's ingenuity, making cycling more accessible and enjoyable. Yet, hurdles remain. Gender disparities in professional cycling, safety concerns, and representation gaps call for continued action. International Women's Day is both a celebration of strides made and a clarion call for the journey ahead towards equality in cycling. As we pedal forward, let's honor the trailblazers and support the rising tide of women in cycling, driving towards a future where the road is open to all. #WomenInCycling #PedalsOfProgress #CyclingRevolution #InternationalWomensDay #EmpowermentOnWheels #BreakTheBias #RideLikeAGirl #CyclingForChange #BicyclesAndEmpowerment #WomenWhoCycle

There is still a huge diversity gap in cycling. In the UK women are 12% less likely to commute by bike than men. This is only an estimation based on Strava statistics and could actually be much lower. Also, women make up 49% of the UK's workforce but within the cycling industry, only make up just 8% of workshop-based roles, and 19% of customer-facing roles, are occupied by women. So as a women in the cycling industry, we are definitely a minority. We need to keep being visible and present and i try to inspire other women to get involved in the cycling industry where possible. If you are a woman looking to get into the cycling industry, you can r

What's wrong with cycling? And how can it learn from triathlon? I was going to write about something else entirely, but I've been bombarded with headlines about prize parity at the Tour de France. Or rather, the lack of it. This year, Tadej Pogacar earned over €500k for his TdF win. Kasia Niewiadoma? A tenth of that. Sure, the Femmes rode 8 stages to the men's 21. But even then, Kasia should realistically get €192k for her efforts. Is it because of viewership? Possibly—the men's viewership for 2024 is estimated at 150 mln, while the ladies only gathered around 23.2 mln. But if this is the only factor we take into account, we're in a vicious circle. Fewer viewers mean shorter races, less money, and less coverage. Remember last year, when the Women's Gravel World Championship wasn't broadcast at all? Can you imagine a similar situation with a men's race? No. What we have here is a clusterf...mess. Women's cycling is super exciting. Anyone who watches a race knows it's worth it. Yet, riders earn less, prize money is lower, and there's not enough coverage. What can we do? Reintroducing the Grand Tours was a great step. Making them longer is another way to boost visibility. But maybe there's another way? Have you heard of the Professional Triathletes Organisation? It was set up by pro triathletes to better represent their rights in interactions with race organizers and governing bodies. What does the PTO do for female triathletes? 🚲 Equal prize money: the PTO advocates for gender equality, offering the same prizes for men and women at all events. 🚲Own events: PTO organizes multiple large events that promote men and women equally, giving female athletes a great platform to attract sponsors. 🚲Increased media coverage: PTO actively promotes its events on social media, ensuring women get the same attention as men. 🚲Support for PRO athletes: PTO is athlete-owned and offers financial support, including bonuses and stipends based on rankings. 🚲Maternity cover: Female triathletes receive financial support during pregnancy and postpartum. Their rankings are protected, and they’re encouraged to return to sport after giving birth. Maybe it’s time cycling introduced a similar organization? Yes, there are rider associations, but they don’t seem to have the same influence as the PTO. They’re also not athlete-owned, don’t organize events, and don’t offer financial or maternity support. ❓What do you think? Does cycling need its own PTO?❓ 🚲Endurance Translations – multilingual translation agency for cycling, triathlon, running, and swimming. By athletes. For athletes.🚲 #cycling #equalpay #tourdefrancefemmes #gendergap

Today marks one year since the launch of our Diversity in the Cycling Industry report. This was just the start of a comprehensive programme of activities and outputs during 2023 that now provide a comprehensive toolkit for our sector. Following the publication of the now widely-cited report we have: 🖊 Inspired over 60 members and Investors in Cycling to sign the Diversity pledge. 📝 Engaged 1,123 individuals working in the industry to produce a powerful perception report. 🤝 Collaborated with Women in Transport and WORK180 to launch a cross-sectoral Employers Equity Audit. 💻 Delivered a downloadable and editable 10-step DEI plan for businesses, big or small. 💷 Delivered 16 downloadable guides and templates to help you unlock the value of Diversity in your business.  📚 Compiled a comprehensive library of reports and a hub of information covering mentoring, networking, and mutual support. ✅ Established an experienced and powerful Diversity Advisory Board to track progress to clearly defined industry goals. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eDnY-SYW

I've been reflecting this International Women's Day about how unusual Cycle Sprog is in the cycling industry. Our core team is myself, Saskia Heijltjes Mildred Locke and Emily Wormald. However, we are NOT a female cycling brand. Our audience is parents and grandparents who want to pass on the joy of cycling to the next generation. We also have a male co-founder and a number of amazing men contributing to our business. But what does having powerful female voices at the heart of our business mean? Well, Google tells us that our audience in 2023 was 54% male and 46% female. This is is a stat I'm very proud of as parenting websites in general tend to be female focused, and cycling websites and magazines usually reach a predominantly male audience. I strongly believe that Cycle Sprog has managed to hit that sweet spot by having a diverse range of voices sharing their experiences and knowledge. We use imagery and wording that makes women feel that family cycling is something they can do, and that kids bikes, cargo bikes and family cycling equipment is something they can understand and care about. I've heard people in the cycling industry saying they only get suitably qualified men applying for roles they advertise, so if you're keen to improve diversity in your workforce I really recommend using the Bicycle Association's Guide to Inclusive Recruitment when you write your next job advertisement. Perhaps it may just help reach new customer groups - something the cycling industry desperately needs at the moment. https://lnkd.in/e5art_HS #cycling #iwd2024 #femalefounders #parenting #internationalwomensday

Having gone through a similar theme, the following advice is so important....