At the 2028 Olympics, women will constitute the majority of participants for the first time in history
At the XXXIV Summer Olympic Games in 2028, scheduled to take place in Los Angeles from July 14th to 30th, the number of female participants will, for the first time in history, exceed that of male participants.
This information was disclosed during a brief session of the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), held on April 9th in Lausanne, Switzerland. Updated details regarding the program of the 2028 Summer Olympic Games were presented at this session.
The Sports Director of the International Olympic Committee, Kit McConnell, reported that 10,500 athletes will participate in the competitions (consistent with the Paris 2024 Olympics), of whom 5,333 will be women and 5,167 will be men. This represents a significant achievement in the pursuit of gender equality in sports, made possible by adjustments in quota allocation and an increase in the number of women's teams across various sports. For instance, the women's football tournament will feature 16 teams, compared to 12 in the men's tournament. The number of women's water polo teams will also increase from 10 to 12. In boxing, one new women's weight category will be added, ensuring parity in the number of medal events.
Among other changes, the number of participants in 3x3 basketball will be expanded to 32 teams; individual medals will be awarded for the first time in three sport climbing disciplines; and three coastal rowing events will be introduced. The Olympic program will also include the 50-meter breaststroke, butterfly, and backstroke swimming events.
Furthermore, the program of the 2028 Olympic Games includes six new mixed gender disciplines, such as the mixed relay in athletics and the mixed double sculls in rowing.
These changes underscore the IOC's commitment to achieving gender equality and expanding opportunities for women in sports.
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