Changing the Game: Record number of women athletes from Türkiye to compete in Paris 2024 Olympics
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games, set to take place from July 26 to August 11 in Paris, France, are the first to reach gender parity, with equal numbers of men and women athletes. As the Republic of Türkiye marks its 100th year in the Olympic Games, Team Türkiye will compete in Paris 2024 with 102 athletes. Among these athletes, 54 are women and 48 are men, making this the second Olympic Games since London 2012 where the number of women athletes surpasses that of men. This remarkable milestone is a testament to the collective achievements of all women athletes who have been breaking records, shattering stereotypes, and inspiring future generations for years.
In Türkiye, and worldwide, gender equality in sports has significantly improved in recent years. Women representation in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has doubled to 41%, and 88% of sports viewers in a seven-country survey view professional women athletes as role models. However, gender inequality persists, with girls dropping out of sports at twice the rate of boys by age 14 and women athletes facing disparities in opportunities, sponsorships, media visibility, and conditions.
Since 2012, the IOC and UN Women have partnered to promote gender equality in sports. This collaboration aims to empower women and girls through sports and develop policies addressing their needs. To further this effort in Türkiye, UN Women Türkiye Deputy Country Director Zeliha Ünaldı and Turkish Olympic Committee (TOC) President Professor Uğur Erdener met in Ankara on July 17 to discuss new initiatives.
“Sports play a crucial role in breaking down gender barriers and empowering women and girls. The equal participation at the Paris 2024 Olympics results from the long-standing struggle of women athletes. Empowering women through sports will impact all areas of life. To enhance these effects, we need collaboration, safeguarding laws, more investment in women’s sports, and increased visibility of women athletes. The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will not only be an international sports event for Türkiye but also a major step for gender equality,” says Zeliha Ünaldı, Deputy Country Director of UN Women Türkiye.
TOC’s Team Türkiye for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games composed of more women athletes than men, including a higher number of women in traditionally male-dominated sports such as wrestling, taekwondo, and boxing. In wrestling, the team comprises 5 women atheletes, 2 men atheletes in freestyle, and 4 men atheletes in greco-roman. There are 5 women and 3 men in boxing and, 3 women and 2 men in taekwondo in the Team Türkiye.
“The Paris 2024 Olympics will showcase global athletic talent and mark a turning point for gender equality in sports. It is a great pride for us to participate in these Games with a team that includes more women athletes. Their achievements in recent years have been inspiring both nationally and internationally, strengthening the fight for gender equality. I firmly believe our successes at Paris 2024 will illuminate the path for future women athletes and leaders,” says Professor Uğur Erdener, President of TOC.
