The Championship will coincide with the men’s Olympic event in Paris — where women still can’t compete. SMDH. 😠 • For more sports biz stories like this one, subscribe to our free, 3x-weekly sports biz newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/eYH82ywF • The pentathlon — essentially a non-stop marathon of five different track and field activities — originated in ancient Greece over 2000 years ago. The modern decathlon, which consists of 10 consecutive events such as running, jumping, and throwing, has been practiced in the U.S. since the late 1800s and was first included in the 1912 Olympics. 👀 • Despite decathlon events existing for women outside of the Olympics, women have only been allowed to compete in a seven-event heptathlon starting at the 1984 LA Olympics. American decathlete Lauren Kuntz called this a vestige of “historical sexism,” which ultimately set the stage for today’s lack of financial resources and visibility. 😔 • Backed by women’s sports power players Parity and Gainbridge, Ico for All’s world championships is being organized by Kuntz and will feature over 30 athletes from 10 countries, including U.S. phenoms Jordyn Bruce and Katie Straus. 🤝 • In addition to the main event, the org is putting on an icosathlon (aka a double decathlon) with 20 different track and field events. The competition will be open to all genders, ages, and abilities, a winning strategy to include more athletes in another version of the sport that — you guessed it — also excludes women. 🤦♀️ • Paris 2024 is touting its gender parity in both the number of athletes and events, but that overlooks the fact that only men have the opportunity to participate in the decathlon while women can only compete in the seven-event heptathlon. • While women have been fighting for inclusion into the event for decades, the recent involvement of powerful sponsors like Parity and Gainbridge can help athletes overcome the hurdles of being sidelined and excluded from the Games. If you can’t join them, leave them. 🤷♀️
Jenn Nelson
8mo
There's still work to be done—not just to achieve equity, but to maintain it and, in some cases, fight to ensure it isn't taken away.
The cream of the crop should always be allowed to compete...
Susanne Mei
8mo
I was shocked when I read that there is no women's decathalon in the Olympics, especially with all the talk about the equal number of male and female athletes there. Thanks to The GIST for raising awareness about this.
Now this is shattering glass ceilings (and maybe a few world records along the way). Kudos to the trailblazers fighting this battle. They're athletes AND they're revolutionaries in running shoes. :)