In the last 40 years, since Title IX was signed into law, there has been a remarkable change in the participation in athletics by women and girls (6 to 10 times).  This has not only been true in the United States, but this increase has also had a profound effect on the Olympics.

Not only has the number of women participants  increased, but also the number of sports in which women can compete have increased.  The Olymics started with 19 women competing in two sports — tennis and golf — in the 1900 Olympics in Paris.  The 1970’s (after Title IX) saw a big increase in the numbers of women competing in the Olympics.  Basketball became an event for women in 1976.  1984 was the first cycling event for women and Gymnastics came in 1952.  The first women’s Soccer game was played in 1996 and wrestling in 2004. Boxing was the last event added for women — in 1908.   In 1991, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided that any new sport introduced for the Olympic program had to include both men’s and women’s events.

The 2012 Olympics in London will see a nearly equal number of male and female participants competing and women will compete in all 26 Olympic events.  In addition, there will be women competing from every country participating, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Brunei for the first time.  In the 2008 Olympics, Women won nearly half the American medals.  What do you think they will do this year when more than half of the United States’ participants will be women?