Op-ed: The 2024 Paris Olympic Games were gender-balanced, but now what?

The president of the Organizing Committee, Tony Estanguet, who was seen twice behind the lectern at the Opening Ceremonies, boasted of piloting and launching the first gender-balanced Olympic Games in history. It's true that these Olympic Games were the first to feature as many women as men at the start of the competitions, the culmination of a goal displayed as early as 2020 and a logical step forward after the 48.8% of female athletes competing at the Tokyo Games three years ago. To support this cause, the organising committee also chose to conclude the Olympic Games with the women's basketball final and the women's marathon, while the grand finale has always been offered to men. It was an encouraging sign and a strong message for the whole world.

Parity in numbers

So, while this progress probably marks a turning point in the objective of diversity in sport, the satisfaction should not make us forget all the areas of sport in which gender parity is a constant battle. Because, although there were indeed 5,250 women and 5,250 men competing in the French capital, these figures must nevertheless be examined with a magnifying glass. This is an overall parity but it does not necessarily apply to all disciplines. Greco-Roman wrestling is probably the most striking example since it is still reserved for men today. Men, for their part, are prohibited from participating in rhythmic gymnastics. The myths of femininity and masculinity are therefore still persistent at the Olympic Games. Furthermore, it must also be emphasized that this parity only applied to the Olympic Games. The Paralympic Games have not yet achieved this objective.

Supporting the development of sport for women

Beyond the figures and the perspective on athlete parity, this fine achievement should not make us forget that women are nevertheless the great absentees from the federations' management committees, technical staff and coaches' benches. Only a minority of women occupy the inner circle of athletics at the highest levels. In Rio in 2016, 11% of the coaches present were women. In Tokyo, in 2021, 13%. The figures are still being finalised for Paris but will likely not exceed 15%.

It is therefore still appropriate to question the place given to women in the world of sport and to work together so that at all levels, accessibility to practice is offered to them. Because these are the fundamentals for moving towards global parity. We must therefore continue to massively support programs allowing young girls to get involved in a sporting activity by systematically influencing those around them to dispel the beliefs that tend to prevent them from doing so.

Sport can help to erase gender issues and offer those who find their place the opportunity to get involved in the highest spheres of responsibility. Right up to the edge of the fields. Parity of athletes at the Olympic Games must not be an end in itself but the first step towards global parity.