Gender equity at Oly: Major nations send more female than male athletes

Upholding the ‘gender balanced’ Games theme of the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, five major countries are sending more women sportspersons than men to the showpiece event. Great Britain, the US, China, Australia and Canada have announced contingents with a significantly higher female representation.

- Hindol Basu

Russia, which will be entering the Games representing the Russian Olympic Committee and use the acronym ROC, is also sending more women than men. Russia will have to use ROC because it was banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) from all international sport for four years in 2019.

But in the case of the 127member Indian contingent, there will be more men (71) than women (56).

Tokyo could be first ‘gender-balanced’ Olympics

China is sending 431 athletes, which includes 298 female and 133 male athletes, at the Games. China’s women representation is more than double that of men. The United States is sending a team of 613 athletes. It will have 329 women and 284 men in its ranks.