Melis Giraud, the ISSF Executive Committee member from Turkey, has stepped up to a role supporting more women to become involved in the organisation worldwide.
Melis, a former shooting athlete and long- time judge and coach and Vice-President of the Turkish Federation, has been earmarked as a key figure in bringing about greater gender equality within the sport.
She recently participated in an extended series of virtual courses under the umbrella of the Association of Summer Olympic International Sports Federations (ASOIF) run by the Women Lead Sports (WLS) Program designed to enable more women to become involved in the sports world.
“The courses are overseen by Gabriela Mueller,” Melis told ISSF. “She is an accomplished international sports trainer and coach who is doing a lot of seminars and coaching not only in sport but in the business world.
The ISSF wants to work towards gender equality. At the moment we don’t have enough women in our committees and organisations. We are planning to make this happen more with time and effort.
“It’s important that we can work for women, especially those in underprivileged countries or countries where sports need support for development.
You cannot imagine how many talented people there are out there. We need to find those people and we need to guide them.”
“The course was excellent and I am very happy I participated,” she added.
“As someone who has managed my own company for more than 40 years I could see that Gabriela was touching all the important points and giving so much support to women.
“It was really very impressive – and hopeful. It made me think ‘Yes, I can be part of this and help things to evolve within the ISSF with support from its leaders.
“So I did it. I am not a feminist as such – I think both women and men have a lot of different skills and we can combine them, merge them, balance them to make the world a better place.”
Women interested in taking up a role with their national shooting federations or within the ISSF are invited to contact Melis via the Women Lead Sports Program site at Women Lead Sports Graduates - Shooting