Nick Harding | @nickhdg | Sportscene - Peter and Michele Donnelly, University of Toronto, have released a report analysing whether London 2012 was in fact a model for gender equality in sport. Results are, despite more female athletes competing in every sport and from every nation, startling -there are still major inequalities across the majority of participating sports to be addressed!

The authors' report compared the 26 sports and 36 disciplines that comprise the 302 events, investigating the principle differences between men's and women's Summer Olympic sports. Gender-exclusive, gender-equal and gender-different events (weight classes, technology, distances for example) were examined as well as pre-Games national selection processes and the increased sexualisation of sportswear. 

Their main arguments were:

1. 30 more medals for men than women
2. 1233 more men than women competing at the Games
3. the quota for women's competitors were lower in 11 out of 26 sports

As for canoeing, the study outlined several differences that could impact IOC decision-making for future Olympic inclusion:

• 6 gender-exclusive events with no female counterpart (2 x canoe slalom, 3 x canoe sprint, 1 x kayak sprint)
• 1 'nearly' equal event (K1 slalom: 22 x male competitors, 21 x female)
• unequal male-female athlete ratio (canoe/kayak slalom: 61 x men, 21 x women) (canoe/kayak sprint: 158 x men, 58 x women)
• unequal number of competitors per country (canoe/kayak slalom: 1 x boat per country over 3 x male, 1 x female event) (canoe/kayak sprint: max. 18 competitors per country, 12 x men, 6 x women over 8 x male, 4 x female events)
• men race further in comparable events (K1, K2, K4 sprint – 1000m vs. 500m)

The gender study also alludes that there is a trend in women's sports organisations to shift attention from women's participation to women's representation in sport management. The Donnelly's main objective was to call for an equal number of medal opportunities and for IOC recognition of this.

More about gender equality: Gender equality in women’s canoeing: links to media

Download 'THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS: A GENDER EQUALITY AUDIT'