Throughout the history of sports in Mexico, women have had to break down walls imposed by society to try to make their way in a hostile environment in which they were constantly criticized or excluded; However, in recent years they have broken many paradigms, managing to find a space that at some point seemed unimaginable.
Through hard work, achievements, challenges overcome, and goals achieved, many of them have managed to be seen and heard, earning a place in an area that previously belonged exclusively to men. This personal recognition has ended up becoming the voice of this sector of society.
Fortunately, there are more and more stories of women who have managed to inspire others, confirming that the search for equity is backed by qualities, skills, commitment, and, especially, by the desire to demonstrate that they should never have been minimized or underestimated by society. .
Ana Guevara, former Mexican Olympic medalist | MEXSPORT
Names like Ana Gabriela Guevara marked a turning point in the history of sports in our country. In 2003, she became the fastest sprinter in the world and won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, thus gaining the recognition of a large part of the population, which paralyzed to watch the competitions live.
Soccer has perhaps been the most hostile field for women and where it has been most difficult for them to be valued. However, cases such as that of Maribel Domínguez at the beginning of the century, a soccer player who came to be considered one of the best in the world, or more recently, Katty Martínez, the top scorer in the history of the Liga MX Femenil, continue to inspire more. girls.
And we cannot forget Virginia Tovar who was the first central referee of a First Division match on February 22, 2004. Special mention deserves Grecia del Ángel who was the first central whistler of a men’s game in a Third Division match .
In sports journalism, the situation is similar, as it has traditionally been a sector dominated by men. However, over the years, women have gained ground. Inés Sainz was one of the first journalists to receive the trust to cover events such as World Cups, Olympic Games and Super Bowls, in addition to interviewing more than 200 high-level people.
She was preceded by Silvana Galván, the first sports commentator; Alejandra Benítez, Graciela Reséndiz, Mac Reséndiz, Marlene Santos or Beatriz Vázquez as the first soccer reporters; while Diana Pérez became the first editorial director of a sports media in 2024 after many years of working at RÉCORD.
VIRGINIA TOVAR – PROFESSIONAL REFEREE
She marked a watershed in Mexican soccer refereeing by becoming the first woman to whistle a First Division match; On February 22, 2004, Tovar served as central judge of the match between Irapuato and América.
MARIANA GUTIÉRREZ – DIRECTOR OF THE FEMENIL MX LEAGUE
After more than 10 years pushing and strengthening the development of amateur women’s soccer, in 2019, Mariana became director of the Liga MX Femenil. Today the women’s Liga MX is the fastest growing in its category.
ALEJANDRA DE LA VEGA – OWNER OF BRAVOS DE JUÁREZ
With 35 years of experience managing soccer teams, Alejandra has been the owner of Juárez FC for 8 years, the year the team was founded. Under her leadership, they have not managed to win a title, but her legacy as a manager has paved the way.
INÉS SAINZ – SPORTS JOURNALIST
She has been working for TV Azteca for more than 15 years, a television station that catapulted her to fame for her international coverage of World Cups, Olympic Games, and Super Bowls. Inés has done more than 200 exclusive interviews with high-level people.
MARIBEL DOMÍNGUEZ – EX PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYER
She is considered by many to be the best soccer player in the history of women’s soccer in Mexico. During her active years, she was ranked as one of the five best players in the world according to FIFA. She tried to play in the men’s Liga MX with Celaya.
ANA GABRIELA GUEVARA – FORMER ATHLETE
During her time as an athlete, she was a sprinter specializing in the 400 m dash, an event in which she established herself internationally by becoming world champion in 2003 and Olympic runner-up in 2004. Guevara became a sporting phenomenon for Mexico, paralyzing the country when competed
MARIEL DUAYHE – FOOTBALL REPRESENTATIVE
In a world dominated by men, Mariel became a FIFA agent, a position that few achieve. From his position he managed the signing of Santiago Giménez to Feyenoord in the Netherlands; Furthermore, Erick Gutiérrez, Bruce El-mesmari and Víctor Guzmán also appear in his portfolio of representatives.
KATY MARTÍNEZ – PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLER
With 143 goals, the América forward is the top scorer in the history of the Liga MX Femenil, a multi-time champion with 5 League titles in addition to scoring championships. Martínez has become a figure of inspiration for girls who play soccer today.
ALMA PEÑA – FORMER WOMEN’S BRAND NIKE DIRECTOR
Responsible for creating the first campaign that empowered women with “Unstoppable Together”. From her position, she focused on working to give visibility to female athletes, thus inspiring new generations. The success of her campaign led other brands to also support the athletes.
FERNANDA SAINZ – CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER FOR HOT
She is one of the most powerful women in the sports industry, from her position she is responsible for assigning sponsorships or making strategic alliances with the different Leagues. With a vision of female empowerment, Fernanda decided that the brand she represents would be one of the major sponsorships for the women’s Liga MX. In addition, she has promoted the growth of different sports. 90 percent of her work team is made up of women, with the aim of supporting professional growth in the industry.
DIANA PÉREZ – EDITORIAL DIRECTOR OF RECORD
Since her first foray into the media at La Crónica de Hoy 22 years ago, Diana managed to become the first Editorial Director of a sports media outlet. She began her career at RECORD as an intern and then rose through the ranks. During her professional career, she also collaborated at Mediotiempo.com.
