On International Women’s Day, the IOC celebrated historic gender parity in Paris 2024

Just as there are many references to the original reluctance of a sector of Olympism to include and enhance the female presence in the Games, they are even more evidence of the current desire to achieve a degree of equity that can well be illustrated by the idea that there are as many beds occupied by ladies than by men in the Olympic Village. Nothing more and nothing less than a right acquired through talent, commitment and the creation of so many legendary figures.

In this regard and within the framework of International Women’s Day, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) celebrated that for the first time in history in Paris 2024 there will be gender parity in terms of the athletes who will participate in the Games.

“We are about to celebrate one of the most important moments in the history of women in the Olympic Games and in sports in general,” said Sebastian Bach, president of the IOC, in a publication in which the organization highlighted the way in which women’s participation in the Olympic Games evolved.

In Paris, 124 years ago, it was the starting point. After not having a presence in Athens in 1896, women were allowed to participate in the Games and just over 20 were in the French capital, mostly in sports considered “feminine” such as tennis or golf. The British Charlotte Cooper, a five-time winner at Wimbledon, was the first Olympic champion.

“Over the years, the IOC’s commitment to gender equality has led the Olympic Movement to steadily increase the number of female athletes at the Olympic Games. With a total of only 2.2 percent of those participating in the Paris 1900 Olympic Games, when women competed for the first time, the number gradually increased, accelerating the pace starting in Los Angeles 1984, with 23 percent; 44 percent in London 2012; and 48 percent in Tokyo 2020,” explained the body chaired by Bach.

Little by little, women were gaining a place in different sports, although at first with restrictions such as athletics: after Amsterdam 1928 they were banned from participating in long events because of “physical weakness”. After having already been represented in all disciplines, the last milestone occurred in London 2012, considered to be “The Women’s Games”, because for the first time all countries had at least one athlete in their delegation (under pressure from the IOC to Arab countries that had so far refused).

“We are looking forward to Paris 2024, where we will see the results of the enormous efforts made by the Olympic Movement and the pioneers come to life. This is our contribution to a world with greater gender equality,” said Bach. The next Olympic Games will have, as the organization explains, “a more gender-balanced sports program, with 28 of 32 fully gender-equalized sports in Paris. A more gender-balanced number of medal events, with the Paris 2024 calendar comprised of 152 women’s events, 157 men’s events and 20 mixed events.”

Starting with Tokyo 2020, in search of this gender parity, the IOC encouraged that in the opening parade a man and a woman carry the flag together. In Paris 2024, for the first time, athletics will close with the women’s marathon and not with the men’s marathon as was tradition.

“Our commitment to promoting gender equality doesn’t end in Paris. We will continue to open paths for women and work with our stakeholders, encouraging them to take the necessary steps to advance gender equality in their area of responsibility. The IOC will continue to lead the way and use the power of sport to contribute to a more egalitarian and inclusive society,” Bach emphasized.

In addition to gender parity in competencies, the IOC advances in the same way in its body and 41% of its members today are women. “In today’s world, no organization or country can afford to leave behind the skills of 50 percent of the population, whether in sports or in society in general. That’s why the IOC is committed to closing the gender gap on and off the field of play,” said Bach.