Despite recognizing that there have been improvements in recent years, De Varona said that gender inequality still exists in sport.

According to IOC figures from 2017, only 14 percent of IOC-recognised international federations' executive board members were women. On the final day of competition at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, there were 19 men's gold medal events and only two for women.

"We have an old tradition where the people who've been involved with making these decisions have been making these decisions since I was 18, 19, 20 and 30," De Varona said. They are still involved. So in order to really get there, to open up their minds, you need the facts and hopefully these facts can open up their minds so that in 2020 [Tokyo Olympic Games] we don't have only two finals on the last day, we have an equal number."

【体坛英语资讯：Olympic legend calls for greater gender equality in sport】相关文章：

★ 体坛英语资讯：France files protest after defeat by China in Fed Cup

★ 体坛英语资讯：Yao, LeBron earn NBA honors for January

★ 体坛英语资讯：Swiss squad for Euro 2008 opener against Czech Republic

★ 娱乐英语资讯：The Chronicles of Narnia: Out of the wardrobe again

★ 体坛资讯：Federer into French Open final as Davydenko nerve fails

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Were Brangelinas twins the result of IVF?

★ 体坛英语资讯：Stephen Maguire triumphs in China Open

★ 体坛英语资讯：China fails to break no-win record jinx against S.Korea

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Quickie Vegas wedding for Pamela Anderson

★ 体坛英语资讯：Olympic torch relay concludes in Buenos Aires