On September 29, the city of Lausanne hosted the third edition of the Gender Equality and Sport+ conference at the Campus IMD. The event brought together 155 participants from around the world, including government officials, sports organizations, and academics. Organized by the Observatoire pour l'égalité des genres et du sport (GO), the conference focused on how to create more inclusive policies in sports, the data required to support these efforts, and how to measure their success. A key theme was the role of data in understanding current challenges and identifying ways to make progress in gender equality within sports. Lausanne's mayor, Grégoire Junod, spoke about the lack of women in research, both as researchers and as subjects of study. He noted that this gap has real-world consequences, such as the fact that women's-specific football shoes were not developed until 2025, due to a lack of research on female athletes' needs. Felicite Rwemarika, president of the GO, emphasized that data is crucial for understanding the current situation, setting the direction for change, and tracking progress. Last year, the GO launched a Knowledge Hub to centralize and share information on gender equality in sports, helping decision-makers make more informed choices. The conference aimed to encourage more girls and women to take part in sports, giving them opportunities for personal growth and career development. Géraldine Yema Robert, a former basketball player and sports advisor to the President of Gabon, expressed hope that future generations would feel safe and included in sports. She noted that girls not only want to participate but also want to be involved in decision-making. All participants, including government representatives, sports federations, and academics, agreed that sports should be a space where women can be themselves without fear or bias. Special attention was given to the backgrounds of researchers, as their experiences can affect how data is collected. Sally Hassona, a boxing coach from Egypt, stressed the need for researchers to understand athletes' lives and their social and economic situations. Khalida Popal, a former footballer and advocate for Afghan women, added that researchers' profiles should be considered when addressing the experiences of refugee athletes. Tiago Guilherme, director of the Youth branch of the European Network of Sport NGOs (ENGSO), highlighted the importance of using both numbers and personal stories to fully understand the situation. He suggested that the best measure of success is seeing athletes smile after training or at the end of the day, as numbers alone don't capture the full picture. Géraldine Yema Robert agreed, noting that athletes can explain the context behind the numbers, which is vital for identifying issues and evaluating programs. The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has partnered with the GO to evaluate the current state of gender equality in sports. A recent report pointed out that more women need to be among coaches, as the transition from athlete to coach is more difficult for women than for men. Paulo Barone, responsible for Development and Sustainability at the FIVB, mentioned that 80% of athletes believe they would make good coaches, suggesting that the role of coach should be adapted rather than changing the athletes themselves. This perspective was well-received by the audience, highlighting the importance of the GO's annual conference in addressing these issues.