The Paris 2024 Olympic Goal: Gender Parity
On Sunday, August 11, 2024, the Summer Olympics in Paris ended. The Games showed the best athletes in the world competing against each other, striving to win for themselves and their country. They were also the most inclusive Olympics yet for women.
Planning for Parity
In 2020 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) set a goal that the Paris Olympic Games would reach gender parity. This means that there would be the same number of women athletes competing in events as men. Organizers boasted that the Paris Games would include a more gender-balanced sports program. As a result, there were 329 medal events in Paris. There were 152 medal events for women, 157 medal events for men, and 20 mixed gender medal events.
The IOC provided suggestions to the Paris organizers for achieving gender parity. Organizers were encouraged to require media outlets to cover events for women and men for the same amount of time with the same amount of equipment. It was also suggested that events for women and men be alternately scheduled. This would prevent the women’s events from being seen as an opening act for the men’s events. In addition, organizers provided lists of female athletes and female coaches to media groups so they could interview them.
The IOC argued that sports build confidence, self-discipline, and a sense of accomplishment. By showing female athletes competing in numerous events, the IOC hopes that they will inspire other women throughout the world to compete in sports.
Female Athletes and the Olympics
Women have not always competed in the Olympics. The first modern Olympic Games was held in 1896, but women athletes were not allowed until 1900. Since then, the number of women participating in the Olympics has increased. The percentage of female athletes participating has risen from 2 percent in 1900 to the known 49 percent of this year’s Summer Games.
Source: https://olympics.com/ioc/gender-equality/gender-equality-through-time
The IOC hoped that the 2024 Paris Games would be an equal 50 percent of women and 50 percent men competing in events. The final number of women competing, though, will be slightly less than men, around 49 percent. Nevertheless, the 2024 Paris Games have reached the most gender parity than ever before.
Medal Count
There were many medals awarded to these athletes during the two weeks of competition. The United States was the leader in total medals and tied with China for the most Gold medals awarded. (U.S. women athletes won 26 of the 40 gold medals.) China was the second-place finisher in the total medal count. Great Britain, the host nation of France, and Australia completed the top five nations in the medal count.
| Rank/Name of Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | TOTAL |
| United States of America | 40 | 44 | 42 | 126 |
| People’s Republic of China | 40 | 27 | 24 | 91 |
| Great Britain | 14 | 22 | 29 | 65 |
| France | 16 | 26 | 22 | 64 |
| Australia | 18 | 19 | 16 | 53 |
Source: Paris 2024 Olympics website; olympics.com/en/paris-2024/medals