In the history of the Summer Olympics, the share of events for women athletes has grown gradually; from no events at all in 1896, to a 51.3 percent share in 2020. Growth was gradual and slow, crossing the 25 percent mark in 1984, and exceeding 50 percent in 2020. It is important to note, however, that a number of these events are mixed, for both male and female competitors, and the total number of single-gender events remains slightly higher for men. The majority of sports have mirrored events for male and female competitors, and there had been an increased number of mixed events in recent years, with a particularly high number of mixed events added in Tokyo 2020.
Distribution of events for male and female athletes at the Summer Olympics from 1896 to 2020
*The number of male events was calculated by subtracting the number of female events from the total number of events. Mixed events are generally included with the data for female events, however there may be some overlap (particularly in earlier years).
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olympic.org. (August 3, 2021). Distribution of events for male and female athletes at the Summer Olympics from 1896 to 2020 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 08, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1090679/olympics-share-events-by-gender-since-1896/
olympic.org. "Distribution of events for male and female athletes at the Summer Olympics from 1896 to 2020." Chart. August 3, 2021. Statista. Accessed December 08, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1090679/olympics-share-events-by-gender-since-1896/
olympic.org. (2021). Distribution of events for male and female athletes at the Summer Olympics from 1896 to 2020. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 08, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1090679/olympics-share-events-by-gender-since-1896/
olympic.org. "Distribution of Events for Male and Female Athletes at The Summer Olympics from 1896 to 2020." Statista, Statista Inc., 3 Aug 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1090679/olympics-share-events-by-gender-since-1896/
olympic.org, Distribution of events for male and female athletes at the Summer Olympics from 1896 to 2020 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1090679/olympics-share-events-by-gender-since-1896/ (last visited December 08, 2024)
Distribution of events for male and female athletes at the Summer Olympics from 1896 to 2020 [Graph], olympic.org, August 3, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1090679/olympics-share-events-by-gender-since-1896/