While for fans, Paris Olympics 2024 is two years away, for athletes the countdown has already begun. Athletes prepare for the Olympics their entire life and still, sometimes it’s not good enough. The competition is very demanding and often comes with a lot of sacrifices. In the light of the next Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has introduced some major changes.
Equal gender participation is an issue that the IOC is witnessing for quite a while now. It was always the thing on their radar and they have finally addressed the issue for two major Olympic games, boxing, and weightlifting.
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Changes in boxing for the Paris Olympics 2022
With the objective of gender equality in the Olympics, the IOC has introduced some changes in the existing events of boxing. The organization has increased the number of events in the women’s category from five to six. While for the men’s division, they’ve reduced the events from eight to seven. The Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Director of the IOC revealed the news on his Twitter handle.
Seven men’s and six women’s weight categories will be part of the #boxing program of the Olympic Games #Paris2024, and for the first time, the sport will reach full gender equality in athlete participation.
— Christian Klaue (@ChKlaue) April 1, 2022
In the Paris Olympics, the men’s category will comprise 51kg, 57kg, 63.5kg, 71kg, 80kg. While the revised women’s category will include 50kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 75kg weight division.
Equal gender participation in weightlifting
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For the sport of weightlifting, the changes are much more simple. From the fourteen events in Tokyo Olympics, the 2024 edition in Paris will include a total of just ten events distributed as five each for men’s and women’s categories.
The #weightlifting events at the Olympic Games #Paris2024 will be gender-balanced, with five men’s and five women’s weight classes, and equal numbers of male and female athletes.
— Christian Klaue (@ChKlaue) April 1, 2022
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With these revised changes in the two prominent Olympic sports, the International Olympic Committee has taken a huge step forward in establishing gender equality in sports. Their decision is welcomed by everyone and the entire world is praising their efforts toward the much-needed change.