Gender Barrier Coming Down In The Olympics: A Reflection of World Socioeconomic Progress?

Evolving important social and economic global trends can be seen in the Olympics-female participation in the games have been getting broader.

From the Economist,

``AT THE beginning of the modern Olympic era in 1896, sport was a male preserve. In the first games there were no women among the 241 competitors. Women got their first shot at summer Olympic glory four years later, when tennis, golf and croquet were deemed suitable pursuits. But as it became more acceptable for women to compete in strength- and speed-based sports, the proportion of female athletes at the Olympics has risen. This year's games in Beijing has more female competitors than ever before, making up 45% of the 10,700 expected participants."

Courtesy of the Economist

Seen from the angle of Olympic delegations, participating nations sending all male teams have likewise been on a decline trend…

Courtesy of gulfinstitute.org

This has been especially evident in some Muslim countries which in the past has had strict clothing and cultural proscriptions.

The implication, according to the Gulf Institute (highlight ours),

``Removing the obstacles for women’s participation in athletic competition and sports in general creates a more inclusive and progressive society that ensures equal rights for all its citizens. It comes as no surprise that countries that do not allow women to compete internationally, whether in such events as the Olympics, FIFA, or the Asian Games, are likely to practice other violations of women’s rights and restrict women’s participation in public life in other ways. Nawal El-Moutawakel, the Moroccan Olympic champion in 400 m race, has put it best in an interview with the Swiss Academy for Development,

“Women’s participation in sport is a reflection of the position of women in society in general. The entrance of women into these sporting spaces often coincides with women's entrance and active participation in civil society and politics.” Therefore, the international community and civil society organizations must join their efforts to bring about a more open and fair social environment by ensuring that women everywhere have access to developing and expressing their athletic potential.”

In short, the lowering of gender barrier possibly reflects the potentials of higher productivity and importantly prospective signs of a more diffusive socio-economic progress.