The Paris Olympics has been thrust into the spotlight due to a range of issues from food shortages to infrastructure problems.

Among these, gender representation and portrayal have become prominent topics of discussion. Despite initial praise for achieving the best gender representation to date, the 2024 Games are now mired in controversies related to gender.

Gender Representation

The Paris Olympics featured an estimated 10,500 athletes, marking a historic first for the IOC with an equal distribution of quota places between men and women.

The Games will include 329 medal events, with 152 for women, 157 for men, and 20 mixed-gender events. Impressively, 28 out of the 32 sports achieving full gender balance.

Commentary controversies

Despite these promising statistics, the Paris Olympics have faced scrutiny over gender-related controversies. Male commentators have come under fire for inappropriate remarks about female athletes.

In one instance, a Eurosport commentator was suspended for suggesting female swimmers were off fixing their makeup. Another commentator faced backlash for using stereotypical clichés about housewives to describe a tennis player.

British journalist Bob Ballard also made a controversial comment on air after Australia won the 4x100m freestyle relay: “Well, the women just finishing up. You know what women are like … hanging around, doing their makeup.”

Issues with Media Coverage

Olympic Broadcasting Services CEO Yiannis Exarchos highlighted ongoing issues on the portrayal of women in media coverage. He noted that women are still often filmed in ways that perpetuate stereotypes and sexism, such as focusing tightly on their faces, a technique not commonly used for male athletes.

This disappointing lack of progress in media representation explains the need for a significant shift in how female athletes are portrayed.

Gender Eligibility

A major concern has arisen from the participation of two athletes in women’s boxing — Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan — who have previously failed gender eligibility tests. Both were disqualified due to having XY chromosomes, typically associated with men, rather than the XX chromosomes of women. The IOC responded, stating that all athletes in the boxing tournament comply with the competition’s eligibility and medical regulations.

Inclusive regulations

Following these events, Khelif and Yu-ting have faced brutal trolling on social media.

This situation highlights the need for the IOC to hold crucial conversations and establish clear regulations to make sports more inclusive.

The current regulations may lack clarity and could lead to further complexities.

It is essential for sports to be inclusive and free from sexism and misogyny.

With improved regulations from authorities and a renewed attitude among sports enthusiasts, meaningful progress can be achieved.