Tokyo Olympics 2020 will be considered as the most diverse and gender-equal Olympics out of all the 206 Olympics that have been held so far. But, of course, this is just the beginning. According to the International Olympics Committee (IOC) press release, almost 49 per cent of the athletes that have participated are women and this is the first gender-balanced game in history.
To look at Paralympic Games, almost 40.5 per cent are women which leads to the participation of 1,782 women athletes as compared to 1,671 athletes who had competed at Rio 2016. Thus, Tokyo 2020 Olympics does have the right step in the right direction. The only thing that one should be doing now is encouraging and making things easier for women by supporting them. Representing India at the Olympics, especially in a game like hockey which is majorly male-dominated and has very limited funding whose major portion is sent to the men's team, is very difficult and beyond words comprehensible. Needless to say, a woman has to fight not just to win a game but also to win a battle based on social, economic, and political background.
Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu (49kg) has already left after securing a silver, P V Sindhu has become only the second Indian and the country's first woman to win two Olympic medals.
According to a BBC report, many parents and family members of the women's hockey players were not satisfied with their daughter's decision. Rani Rampal's parents had to bear the brunt of other people talking about what will she get by playing hockey and what will happen to the image of the family if she will be roaming around the field wearing a short skirt. Even Vandana Katariya was not encouraged to play hockey as many thought it was an 'unbecoming of girl.'
With women coming from all over the country, right from PV Sindhu to Mirabai Chanu to Lovlina Borgohain to Rani Rampal, history has been created. These powerful and headstrong women have been winning laurels from everyone, EVERYONE around the world, and even though their struggles alone make them worthy of equality, it is high time that the gender dynamics and the distribution of wealth in sports quota become equal now. "You reap what you sow," with just investing a bare minimum account at sports, especially to women hockey, they are in Olympics now, THE OLYMPICS, imagine what else they are capable of achieving! According to Global Gender Gap Report 2021, India slipped 28 places and is currently standing at 140th position. 156 nations have participated in this report and India's position, well, a grim reminder that we are very far, very far from attaining equal gender equality but it does not mean we cannot attain it ever, we can still, right?
Everything begins from home, they say, and most of that everything begins from schools. Schools should take up responsibilities and encourage students to participate in sports. And no, that does not mean assigning PT classes or games periods to science or maths teachers! Neither does it mean making students chill in the playground and letting them do their own stuff in groups! Sports is a very needed activity for developing, nurturing, and building sportsmanship among children. A well-structured curriculum educating students about various sports activities, not just cricket, and badminton, but disc throwing and hockey as well, should be made compulsory at various stages. This includes encouraging female students to participate more and explore their physical potential in being sportswomen. Cycling, mountaineering, swimming, and shooting are some of the other activities that are yet to be explored by most of the schools as part of their regular sports activities for students. Of course, the government's contribution in taking notice of the same is essential. Providing equal funding and opportunities to all genders to grow and develop at the basic school level needs a special groundwork.
The change is happening and it is only through equal opportunity and representation that this change can lead to success. Certain steps are necessary for humanity in order to grow and prosper. The world is changing at a snail's pace but we'll get there soon... and India has started off really well!
(With inputs from agencies)