On International Womens Day-equal gender division at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

In anticipation of International Women’s Day on 8 March, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is commemorating a significant milestone set to be achieved at the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024. Notably, the IOC has allocated quota places evenly between female and male athletes, establishing a groundbreaking 50:50 gender parity on the field of play for the first time in Olympic history.

IOC President Thomas Bach expressed, “We are on the brink of celebrating one of the most pivotal moments in the history of women at the Olympic Games and in sport overall.” Over the years, the IOC’s dedication to gender equality has led to a gradual increase in the representation of female athletes at the Olympic Games. Beginning at a mere 2.2 percent in the Olympic Games Paris 1900, when women first competed, the numbers steadily rose, reaching 23 percent in Los Angeles 1984, 44 percent in London 2012, and 48 percent in Tokyo 2020.

The realization of gender equality necessitated strength, perseverance, leadership, and courage. President Bach remarked, “We eagerly anticipate Paris 2024, where we will witness the fruits of the tremendous efforts exerted by the Olympic Movement and female trailblazers. This stands as our contribution to a more gender-equal world.”

Collaborative initiatives with International Sports Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have resulted in equal opportunities for both female and male athletes to participate in the Olympic Games. These include a more gender-balanced sports program, with 28 out of 32 sports achieving full gender equality in Paris, and a balanced number of medal events, featuring 152 women's events, 157 men's events, and 20 mixed-gender events in the Paris 2024 schedule. Consequently, more than half of all medal events at Paris 2024 will be accessible to female athletes.