In this essay I will explain and justify the rise and development of female participation in the Olympic Games with specific reference to the 14 year struggle between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and La Federation Sportive Feminine Internationale (FSFI)

Times were changing. The end of the nineteenth century and during the beginning of the twentieth century, industrialisation and the impact of social reform through women’s movement changed the passive role of women to an active one. This change also was slowly becoming evident in sports.

Women were traditionally prohibited from participating in the Ancient Olympic Games. They could not even enter the playing area or the stadium as spectators. At the turn of the century when the modern Games came in to being, debate took place on the principles of women’s participation.

“The solemn and periodic exaltation of male athleticism, with internationalism as a base, loyalty as a means, art for its setting, and female applause as reward” (Baron Pierre de Coubertin 1896)

The founder of the modern Olympic Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, was not in favour

“The journalists believed them to be in a state of exhaustion…..I can….certify that there was nothing wrong with them; they burst into tears, betraying their disappointment at losing” (Leigh, 1974)

We know today that the decision makers were wrong in denying women athletic opportunities equal to those enjoyed by men. We also know today that, given the opportunity to participate, women will excel and improve. The 800 meter event in 1928 challenged the ability of women to excel. Women have met that challenge. The improvements in women’s athletic achievements since then has been remarkable. The gender gap is shrinking rapidly in sports events shared by men and women.

In response to the exclusion of women from track and field in the Olympics Games, Alice Milliat of France, a translator by profession, a rower and sports administrator by avocation is the founder and president of La Federation Sportive Feminine Internationale (FSFI). She started the Women’s Games in direct response to the repeated refusal of International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) to put women’s track and field on the program of the Olympics Games which they organised.

Women were excluded from the 1986 Games but a Greek women called Melpomene trained secretly for weeks and asked to enter the marathon. Despite being denied by the Olympic officials, Melpomene ran the marathon as protest. Her actions symbolises the efforts of those who have struggled over the years to overcome male domination of Olympic sports.

Some topics in this essay:
Alice Milliat, Olympic Games, Games Amsterdam, Radke Germany, Cooper Olympic, Games Greek, FSFI Times, Olympics Atlanta, WOMEN STARTED, Harold Abrahams, olympic games, track field, olympic committee, de coubertin, pierre de, international olympic, pierre de coubertin, international olympic committee, 9 women, la federation, baron pierre de, baron pierre, la federation sportive, women’s participation, olympic committee ioc,