Carrion named IOC awardee for women in sports

Cynthia Carrion, spearheading the cause of Filipino women in sports and pioneering womensports programs and advocacy over the past years, recently won the International Olympic Committee’s highly coveted award for Best in Women and Sport in Asia.

Although one award for each continent is at stake, and while a federation or an association used to win the award for Asia over the past years, this is the first time in the region that an individual female was selected. And the first time that Philippines triumphed over the rest of Asia’s women sports leaders.

To receive the award during the IOC Women and Sport Working Group Annual Meeting on March 21, in Laussane, Switzerland, Carrion is set to depart March 19.

She is also set to discuss vital concerns and programs on women and sports in the country with other IOC women leaders, and iron out preparations for the grand hosting of this year’s International Congress on Women and Sports, Philippines.

Currently on top of tourism’s travel and trade and of sports tourism, Carrion, instituted the women and sports program with a strong advocacy for change in the sporting culture during her tenure as former commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission.

Among her legacies in the government sports body are the establishment of a wide network of women in sports with complete regional representations nationwide and heading a national working group on women and sports; the institution of the women and sports program outlining all concerns such as extensive research, education and information, and partnership, among others.