Today, the Women4Sport conference was held in Podgorica, dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women in sports. This conference, part of a project co-financed by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program, brought together key players in the sports sector from Montenegro and the Western Balkan region.
The coordinator of this two-year project is the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with exceptional cooperation and support from partners, including, in addition to the Montenegrin Olympic Committee: Verlab Institute, the Olympic Committee of Albania, the Croatian Olympic Committee, the Olympic Committee of Slovenia and the non-governmental organization BRAVO from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The position of female athletes in Montenegro has shown progress in recent years, but there are still significant challenges. Although Montenegrin sportswomen have achieved some of the most important results on the international stage, equality in sports has not yet been fully achieved.
One of the key problems is insufficient representation of women in the management structures of sports organizations. Although significant progress towards balance has been achieved on the field, there is still a big difference in decision-making spheres.
Media representation of women’s sports is also insufficient. The representation of women in the Montenegrin media and the status of female athletes are not at the level they deserve, despite their sports results.
In order to improve the position of female athletes, the Montenegrin Olympic Committee, as well as the Government of Montenegro, have adopted Sports Development Strategies, which recognize the importance of greater inclusion of women in sports and the improvement of their position
Although certain steps have been taken to improve the position of female athletes in Montenegro, it is necessary to continue efforts in order to achieve full equality and provide adequate support to women in sports.
At the opening of the conference, the president of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee, Dušan Simonović, emphasized the importance of this project for the development of sports and gender equality. “With this conference, we are continuing our journey towards changes that are important and a priority for European and national sports strategies,” Simonović pointed out, adding that the Montenegrin Olympic Committee already has 30% of women in the Management Board, which represents an important step towards equality.
“In Montenegro, women are the pillar of the family, and it is necessary to enable them to be a pillar of the development of Montenegrin sports. Our obligation is to support women in all aspects of sports, and to create conditions in which their abilities and potentials will come to the fore,” emphasized Simonović.
The first one
Today, the Women4Sport conference was held in Podgorica, dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women in sports. This conference, part of a project co-financed by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program, brought together key players in the sports sector from Montenegro and the Western Balkan region.
The coordinator of this two-year project is the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with exceptional cooperation and support from partners, including, in addition to the Montenegrin Olympic Committee: Verlab Institute, the Olympic Committee of Albania, the Croatian Olympic Committee, the Olympic Committee of Slovenia and the non-governmental organization BRAVO from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The position of female athletes in Montenegro has shown progress in recent years, but there are still significant challenges. Although Montenegrin sportswomen have achieved some of the most important results on the international stage, equality in sports has not yet been fully achieved.
One of the key problems is insufficient representation of women in the management structures of sports organizations. Although significant progress towards balance has been achieved on the field, there is still a big difference in decision-making spheres.
Media representation of women’s sports is also insufficient. The representation of women in the Montenegrin media and the status of female athletes are not at the level they deserve, despite their sports results.
In order to improve the position of female athletes, the Montenegrin Olympic Committee, as well as the Government of Montenegro, have adopted Sports Development Strategies, which recognize the importance of greater inclusion of women in sports and the improvement of their position
Although certain steps have been taken to improve the position of female athletes in Montenegro, it is necessary to continue efforts in order to achieve full equality and provide adequate support to women in sports.
At the opening of the conference, the president of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee, Dušan Simonović, emphasized the importance of this project for the development of sports and gender equality. “With this conference, we are continuing our journey towards changes that are important and a priority for European and national sports strategies,” Simonović pointed out, adding that the Montenegrin Olympic Committee already has 30% of women in the Management Board, which represents an important step towards equality.
“In Montenegro, women are the pillar of the family, and it is necessary to enable them to be a pillar of the development of Montenegrin sports. Our obligation is to support women in all aspects of sports, and to create conditions in which their abilities and potentials will come to the fore,” emphasized Simonović.
The first panel of the conference was dedicated to the role of women in the management structures of sports organizations in Montenegro. The panelists were three exceptional leaders: Jelena Dubljević, president of the Basketball Association of Montenegro; Zorica Kostić Vučićević, president of the Rugby Union of Montenegro; and Ksenija Božović, director of women’s representative selections in the Volleyball Association of Montenegro.
Jelena Dubljević, former member of the national team of Montenegro and winner of the WNBA title, shared her experience about the challenges and successes as one of the few women at the head of the sports association in Montenegro. “Sport teaches us discipline and perseverance, and these are values that I apply in my daily work. It is important to continue working on creating an environment in which women will be able to make decisions and create strategies for the future of sports,” said Dubljević.
Zorica Kostić Vučićević, who is the first female rugby player of Montenegro and the captain of the women’s rugby team, emphasized the importance of breaking stereotypes about sports that are traditionally considered “masculine”. “Rugby is not only a physical game; it is a game of strategy, cooperation and trust – values that women bring to the field and to management structures,” said Zorica. She emphasized the importance of educating young girls and promoting women’s rugby, which in Montenegro has yet to reach its full potential.
Ksenija Božović, former volleyball national team member and successful sports administrator, spoke about the importance of mentoring and support for young female athletes. “Our responsibility is to show that women can be leaders in sports, but also to provide concrete support to those who come behind us,” Božović stressed.
The second panel was dedicated to the challenges and opportunities that female athletes have at the end of their sports careers. The panelists were Sonja Barjaktarović, former goalkeeper of the national handball team and current goalkeeper coach, Anđela Bulatović, former handball player, now handball coach, who together with Sonja was part of the generation that brought Montenegro its first Olympic medal, and Ana Milačić, also a former handball player, who now works as an advisor in the Ministry of Sports and Youth, and Danijela Franeta, coach of the Montenegrin swimming team.
Changing profession after the end of a professional sports career is a big challenge for many sportsmen and women. The end of a career often entails a loss of identity, since many sportsmen and women identify with the sport they play from an early age.
Nevertheless, there are numerous examples of sportsmen and women who have successfully found new careers after sports. Some decide to work as mentors, becoming trainers or mentors and passing on their knowledge to younger generations. Others enter the business world, starting their own companies or investing in the sports industry. Some use their reputation to work in public institutions, such as ministries or sports associations, contributing to the development of society in a new way.
A successful transition requires education, timely planning and support. The Montenegrin Olympic Committee, as well as national sports federations, can play a key role by providing educational programs and career counseling.
“As a mother, a former professional athlete and now a handball coach, I can say that balancing private and professional life is a daily challenge, but also an opportunity for growth. My husband helps me a lot in this, who understands my obligations and is very supportive in everything. I can’t say that I am overly organized, but during my sports career, I learned how to properly allocate time and energy, because it was necessary to balance between training, competition and personal obligations. Those lessons have proven to be extremely useful now that I balance between the demands of family life and coaching duties,” said Anđela Bulatović.
Sonja Barjaktarović, who led the national handball team to Olympic silver, spoke about her transition from the role of athlete to the role of coach. “The biggest challenge is to redefine one’s identity. Athletes often live within the confines of their career, but we have the opportunity to translate our passion into new roles that fulfill us, and I am very glad that I can positively influence the young generation with my example,” said Barjaktarović.
Ana Milačić emphasized the importance of institutional support for female athletes. “As a former athlete, I understand the needs and challenges of athletes. Now, in the role of an advisor, I work on policies that will ensure support for sportsmen and women in their professional development,” said Milačić. She especially emphasized the need for flexible educational programs and financial support during the transition.
Danijela Franeta, who turned her swimming experience into a successful coaching career, shared the story of her journey from competitor to coach and emphasized the importance of the fact that she is now a member of the COC Board of Directors: “Election to the Management Board of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee represents for me an opportunity to contribute through strategic work to the development of sports in Montenegro, especially when it comes to improving the position of women in sports. I believe that gender equality is crucial for the development of an inclusive sports system”.
The Women4Sport conference concluded with the message that gender equality is not only a matter of fairness, but also a key factor for improving sports. The panelists emphasized the need for greater support for women in all aspects of sports, from the field to management structures. This conference sent a strong message that Montenegro can be a leader in the region in creating a more inclusive and equal sports system. Concrete measures have been proposed, such as the introduction of dual careers, mentoring and quotas, which will further strengthen female athletes and leaders of the future.
With the presence of local and regional leaders, this conference laid the foundations for the further development of gender equality in sports and opened the door for new initiatives that will bring sustainable changes in Montenegrin sports.
