Nations approve greater gender balance reform in ITF Constitution
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is introducing new provisions to its Constitution that will ensure greater gender balance across the leadership of global tennis. The announcement comes as ITF member National Associations voted 71.09% in favour to amend the ITF Constitution to introduce minimum gender representation requirements on the ITF Board of Directors.
The motion was tabled as part of this year’s ITF Annual General Meeting, which took place in Glasgow on Monday following the successful 2022 Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Finals, the women’s World Cup of Tennis. Thanks to the Gainbridge partnership, the 2022 Finals distributed equivalent prize money to women as received by the men in its sibling World Cup of Tennis event, the Davis Cup Finals. The 2022 World Champions, winning national team Switzerland, took home an unprecedented $2 million (USD).
The constitutional reforms, which will become effective from 2027, will ensure improved gender balance in the elected membership of the ITF Board.
The announcement underpins the fundamental principles of the ITF’s Advantage All programme, which aims to develop and maintain tennis as an equal advantage sport worldwide.
Jack Graham, ITF Board member and Chair of the Constitutional Reform committee, said: “This vote by the ITF member National Associations is a true statement of inclusion at the highest levels of our governance and puts us on the right side of history.”
The amends to the constitution mean from 2027 the ITF Board must be made up of the following members:
- Two athlete representatives – one woman and one man
- 14 elected board members – a minimum of four women and four men
- One elected president, regardless of gender
Members of the ITF Board of Directors are elected every four years. The current ITF Constitution also details regional requirements of the makeup of the Board to ensure representation of the game across the globe.
The annual Advantage All Global Forum took place as part of the ITF Annual General Meeting on Monday. The second edition of the ITF’s online event once again brought together a line-up of influential and inspirational trailblazers who are actively advancing equality in the worlds of sport and business. Speakers included tennis legend and global pioneer for equality and inclusion, Billie Jean King, her life and business partner Ilana Kloss, CEO BJK Enterprises, Laurie Fabiano, president Tory Burch Foundation and Bill Shelton, CMO Gainbridge, in proactive, solution-focused conversation. Watch a replay of the event here.
