IOC commits to making 2021 Tokyo Olympics the most gender-balanced Games 

The IOC has decided to increase women's representation to 49% at the Tokyo Olympics, making it the most gender-balanced Games in history.

From the 1900 Olympic Games to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the participation of women has significantly increased. The IOC has been actively promoting the participation of men and women equally at the Summer Olympics since the last few editions.

In their attempt to make the mega-quadrennial Games more balanced, the IOC has added 6 more mixed events to the Tokyo Olympics this year.

The world Olympic body has also taken an important step by encouraging all the National Olympic committees to have at least one male and one female athlete in their Olympic teams.

We have come a long way in the last 5⃣7⃣ years! @Olympics #GenerationEquality Tokyo 1964 #Tokyo202012 Sports 46 Sports 13.2% 48.8%#InternationalWomensDay #IWD2021 pic.twitter.com/qVcUoLsWyb

— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) March 8, 2021

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Paralympics will record the highest number of women's participation in Tokyo

Even at the Paralympics, there will be a 40.5% representation of female athletes. The number of female athletes has gone up from 1,671 in 2016 to 1,782 in 2021.

The National Paralympic Committee and the IOC Refugee Olympic team will also be asked to promote gender equality by having one female and one male athlete as their flag bearer.

The appointment of Hashimoto Seiko as the President of the Tokyo Olympics Organizing Committee has increased women's participation to 42% in the executive board. A Gender Equality team was also constituted with Tokyo Olympics Organizing Committee's Sports Director, Kotani Mikako as the leader.

Hashimoto Seiko, President of the Tokyo Olympics Organizing Committee

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Gender-based Olympic berths introduced

Apart from these efforts, four international sports federations (shooting, weightlifting, canoe, and rowing) have decided to introduce gender-balanced events.

Six international sports federations (shooting, wrestling, canoe, judo, rowing, and sailing) will have gender-based Olympic berths for individual athletes for the first time as well.

The IOC has made a very strong move towards gender equality at the Tokyo Olympics. It is an encouraging start which will hopefully lead to more female participation at the Games in the future.