The International Olympic Committee (IOC) proudly claims that Paris 2024 is the first Olympics to achieve full gender parity. It has an equal number of female and male athletes. The full gender parity in the 2024 Paris Olympics is because the organisers have set a quota to distribute competition spots evenly. The aim is to have 50% participation from women, which is just 2% higher than in Tokyo.
The Paris Summer Games is the closest any Olympics has come to achieving gender parity. It is noteworthy because the modern Olympics, which began in 1896 in Athens, initially excluded women. That is because Pierre de Coubertin, the founder, did not support their participation.
For many years, women’s participation was minimal. It stayed below 20% of all competitors until 1976. Since then, the number of women athletes has steadily increased, reaching nearly 48% in Tokyo in 2021. So, while the IOC celebrates this “parity,” it’s worth noting that it took over a century to get here.
The gender gap in Olympic decision-making roles
Dunja Antunovic, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota who researches sport, media and gender, points out something interesting. She says that historically, the IOC hasn’t been very good at hiring or keeping women in decision-making roles, such as leadership and coaching positions at the Olympics. Even though Paris 2024 will have an equal number of male and female athletes, a significant gender gap remains in leadership roles. These roles involve Chef de Mission, Technical Official, and coach. For instance, in Tokyo 2020, only 13% of coaches were women. It was even lower at 10% in Beijing 2022.
Female representation on the IOC Executive Board has improved to 33.3%, up from 26.6% before the Olympic Agenda 2020. However, there is still a long way to go for true gender equality in these key roles. This year, 42% of coaches are women, which is about double the number from a decade ago. Still, it is disappointing that it took ten years to reach this point. Remember, we are still not close to achieving the 50% gender balance.
Sexist remarks at the ‘Gender Equal’ Olympics
Even winning a gold medal or breaking records isn’t enough to escape sexist comments. At the Paris Olympics, the Australian 4x100m freestyle relay team—Mollie O’Callaghan, Emma McKeon, Meg Harris, and Shayna Jack—just secured their fourth consecutive gold. As the team was making their way off the pool deck, commentator Bob Ballard couldn’t resist a sexist jab, saying they were “finishing up” and adding a stereotypical comment about women, “You know what women are like… hanging around, doing their makeup.”
Ballard apologised if his remarks offended anyone, claiming it wasn’t his “intention to upset or belittle anyone.” But really, what was the point of adding that unnecessary detail about the swimmers? It seems like nothing more than plain misogyny. No matter the intention, the remark is inappropriate and reflects outdated and biased attitudes towards women.
Gender parity at the 2024 Paris Olympics: Other incidents that question the authenticity
In another incident, a commentator from RMC radio, a private French-Monégasque station, used housewife roles to describe a player. During a doubles match between Caroline Garcia and Diane Parry of France and Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini of Italy, the commentator remarked: “On the left, there’s Sara Errani, who’s the boss. She does everything: the washing up, the cooking, the mopping up.” Why does society still look down on women’s skills and achievements outside traditional, gendered roles?
The gender controversy at the Olympics
In its push for gender equality, the IOC is stubbornly sticking to a strict male-or-female division. This binary view ignores intersex, transgender, and nonbinary athletes, whose participation is often questioned or banned outright. While trans men can usually compete in men’s sports without extra rules, trans women face rigorous eligibility tests and sex verification. Even athletes who are assigned female at birth can face discrimination if they don’t meet the genetic or hormonal standards set by sports authorities.
Earlier this week, there was controversy over two boxers, Imane Khelif from Algeria and Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan, who were disqualified from the 2023 Women’s World Championships. The International Boxing Association’s president, Umar Kremlev, said DNA tests showed they had XY chromosomes and failed a gender eligibility test.
Gender parity at the 2024 Paris Olympics: The Imane Khelif controversy
Algeria’s Imane Khelif won her round of 16 welterweight match against Italy’s Angela Carini in just 46 seconds. After the game, Carini said she’d never been hit so hard. The quick win and Carini’s tearful exit caught social media’s attention, with some alleging that Khelif might be a man or trans person and, therefore, shouldn’t be allowed to compete in women’s events.
As far as we know, Khelif is a cis woman, as stated in her passport, which the International Olympic Committee uses to determine eligibility for women’s events. She’s been competing in women’s sports for years and represented Algeria in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she lost in the quarterfinals. Imane Khelif is biologically female and identifies as a woman. So, what is the issue here?
Other controversies questioning gender parity at the 2024 Paris Olympics & beyond
When a woman excels in a sport and displays strength or a “manly” physique, she often faces criticism. The idea that a woman must be petite, delicate, “feminine”, and less strong than men is a Eurocentric and outdated view of womanhood. No one seems to question the advantages of cis white men like Michael Phelps, whose height, wingspan, and large hands give him an edge in swimming. Yet, when a woman with a “masculine” physique wins a match fair and square, it grabs headlines. Now imagine if she would have been a transwoman?
Sex testing is done at the discretion of sports organisations and can be applied unfairly. Women of colour, who might not meet Eurocentric beauty standards, are more likely to face these tests. These athletes have trained hard for years and are being unfairly questioned about their gender in a very public and heated way. The controversy is nothing more than a transphobic agenda disguised as a fight for fairness in women’s sports.
The final thoughts
Despite improvements in women athletes’ representation, significant gaps remain in leadership roles. Sexist attitudes persist, evident in derogatory comments and unfair scrutiny of female athletes who don’t conform to traditional gender norms. The numbers might look good, but the real challenge of creating an inclusive and respectful environment remains far from complete.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on the writer’s insights, supported by data and resources available both online and offline, as applicable. Changeincontent.com is committed to promoting inclusivity across all forms of content, which we define broadly to include media, policies, law, and history—encompassing all elements that influence the lives of women and gender-queer individuals. Our goal is to promote understanding and advocate for comprehensive inclusivity.
