Women at the Olympic Games
The number of women athletes at the Olympic Games is approaching 50 per cent. Since 2012, women have participated in every Olympic sport at the Games. All new sports to be included in the Games must contain women’s events. The IOC has increased the number of women’s events on the Olympic programme, in collaboration with the IFs and the organising committees.
Women’s participation in the Olympic Winter Games (2014)
More statistics in the Women in the Olympic Movement Factsheet
Women in leadership
The International Olympic Committee encourages NOCs and IFs to increase the number of women in decision-making positions. This section shows statistics of the number of women on Executive Boards at the IOC, in NOCs and in IFs.
The International Olympic Committee
Currently, there are four women on the IOC Executive Board out of fifteen Members. In 1990, the first woman ever was elected to the Board, Flor Isava Fonseca from Venezuela. In 1997, Anita DeFrantz became the first female IOC Vice-President. More and more women are also chairing IOC commissions. Currently, seven of the 26 IOC commissions are chaired by women (27%).
The International Olympic Committee Executive Board Members by gender (2015)
National Olympic Committees
In 2015, 11 NOCs had a woman president and 30 had a woman Secretary General. Twenty-seven NOCs (of 135 who participated in the IOC survey) had 30 per cent or more women on their Executive Board. Sixty-two NOCs had less than 20 per cent women on their Executive Boards and 10 NOCs still had no women on their Executive Board.
National Olympic Committee Executive Board Members by gender (2015)
(sample=135)
International Federations
In 2015, four of the International Federations (summer, winter and recognised) had a female President. Twenty-three of the International Federations had more than 20 per cent women on their Executive Board. Thirteen did not have any women on their Executive Boards.
International Federation Executive Board Members by gender (2015)
(Including summer, winter and recognised IFs)
(sample= 67)
