Gender discrimination
Gender discrimination has always existed in sports, even during the Olympic Games. Anyway, it’s something which is changing. Before 1900 women had never been allowed to participate in the Olympic Games, and, since then, the number of female competitor has been greatly increasing each time the Olympic Games are celebrated. In fact, nowadays there are just three countries which don’t send any women to the Olympics. These are Brunei (which has only participated three times, sending one male each one, so it’s not a big deal), Qatar (which will send some female athletes to London 2012) and Saudi Arabia (where women are forbidden to go by laws). Taking into account this things, the IOC has decided that none country will be allowed to participate if their female athletes are not allowed to. The IOC has taken this decision in order to manage properly the situation in Saudi Arabia. At the same time, women’s boxing has been add to the Summer Olympic Games to get equality regarding to the sports in which both male and female can participate.
It is important to talk about Charlotte Copper as she was the first woman who won in the Olympic Games. She was a tennis player from England who won five Wimbledon championships besides of the Olympics tournament.
Blanca Franch Camino