The International Olympic Committee strives to promote women's participation in sports activities and in the Olympic Games. Sport, whether competition sport or sport for all, become a social force with a major impact on the structure of society and the condition women.

Over time, sporting activities were seen as quintessentially male. From antiquity, sport was used by men as a means of developing their combat skills, physical abilities and courage in battle. Nevertheless, sport is not the prerogative of the male sex exclusively and sport has been practised by women since the earliest times.

In all countries, the message and values communicated by sport reach a substantial part of population regardless of social class. Sport is a tremendous medium of communication emancipation which has helped to build women's awareness and hence their role in society.

Sport belongs to all human beings. It is important to women and men as sport provides  opportunities to learn, to experience success, teamwork, and moments of excellence. Women are still underrepresented in countries where cultural traditions limit their advancement  However, we will see more and more women choosing to take up a sport, either breaking N the norms of their society or staying within them. Regardless of the path chosen, these women will become role models for many of their peers who see their actions as a contribution however small, to their emancipation.