#GenderEqualOlympics: Paris 2024 making history on the field of play
Originally published by Thomas Bach for the International Olympic Committee
The IOC’s commitment to gender equality doesn’t stop on the field of play. Concrete measures are in place to promote balanced media coverage during the Games, and to increase the number of women in coaching, broadcasting and sports governance roles.
Gender equality at the Opening Ceremony
Gender equality has been evident from the onset of Paris 2024, with 196 National Olympic Committee (NOC) delegations (96 per cent) selecting two athletes – one male and one female – to carry their respective countries’ flag during the unforgettable Opening Ceremony on the River Seine. This initiative was first introduced at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 to ensure that women athletes get an equal share of the spotlight during the opening ceremony in front of a global audience.
This strong demonstration of gender equality was mirrored later in the Paris ceremony during the Olympic oath, which was taken by French flagbearers Florent Manaudou and Mélina Robert-Michon, and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron, which was shared by French Olympic legends Teddy Riner and Marie-José Pérec.