IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1409 

Recognizing the great strides made by the majority of countries participating 

in the Summer Olympic Games to increase the participation of women 

in sports and in the Summer Olympic Games, calling on the International 

Olympic Committee and all countries to take concrete steps to increase 

the participation of women in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 1, 2008 

Ms. DELAURO (for herself, Ms. SUTTON, Ms. HIRONO, Mrs. MALONEY of New 

York, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. HONDA, Mr. MCGOVERN, and Mr. FATTAH) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the great strides made by the majority of countries participating in the Summer Olympic Games to 

increase the participation of women in sports and in 

the Summer Olympic Games, calling on the International 

Olympic Committee and all countries to take concrete 

steps to increase the participation of women in the 2012 

Summer Olympic Games, and for other purposes. 

Whereas the Olympic Charter states that ‘‘any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on 

grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is 

incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement’’; 


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•HRES 1409 IH 

Whereas the Olympic Charter states that the role of the 

International Olympic Committee (IOC) is ‘‘to encourage 

and support the promotion of women in sports at all levels and in all structures with a view to implementing the 

principle of equality of men and women’’; 

Whereas on March 10, 2008, at the 4th IOC World Conference on Women and Sport, held in the Kingdom of 

Jordan, ‘‘The Dead Sea Plan of Action’’ was adopted, expressing ‘‘the need to use every opportunity available in 

the Olympic Movement to advance the cause of women in 

sport and through sport’’; 

Whereas there were no women participants at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, but by 2004 women were 

on delegations from all but nine of the 201 countries participating in the Summer Olympic Games; 

Whereas the number of women athletes participating in the 

Summer Olympic Games exceeded 4,000 for the first 

time at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games and in 2008 

will set a new record of over 4,400, or 42 percent of the 

total number of athletes participating in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games; 

Whereas women will compete in 26 of 28 sports and 45 percent of the events at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games; 

Whereas at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games, Robina 

Muqimyar, who ran the 100 meters, and Friba Razayee, 

who competed in judo, became the first women from Afghanistan to compete in the Summer Olympic Games; 

Whereas Dana Al-Nasrallah, who ran the 100 meters at the 

2004 Summer Olympic Games, became the first woman 

from Kuwait to compete in the Summer Olympic Games; 


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•HRES 1409 IH 

Whereas the United Arab Emirates encourages the participation of women in sports, and Her Highness Sheikha 

Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who 

will compete in taekwondo at the 2008 Summer Olympic 

Games, will become the first woman from the United 

Arab Emirates to compete in the Summer Olympic 

Games; 

Whereas Brunei, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen are 

the only countries not sending women athletes to the 

2008 Summer Olympic Games; 

Whereas participating in sports can help young women increase self-esteem and prepare for leadership roles in society; and 

Whereas removing barriers to the participation of women in 

sports creates a more inclusive society and promotes 

equal rights for all citizens: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the great strides made by the 

3 majority of countries participating in the Summer 

4 Olympic Games to increase the participation of 

5 women in the Summer Olympic Games and sports in 

6 general; 

7 (2) applauds the many countries with policies 

8 that enable the participation of women in sports to 

9 coexist with traditional cultural and religious prac10 tices; 

11 (3) calls on the International Olympic Com12 mittee (IOC) to advocate for improved opportunities 


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•HRES 1409 IH 

1 for women to participate in sports, and to work with 

2 all countries to provide financial support and ade3 quate facilities for women athletes; and 

4 (4) urges the IOC and all countries to increase 

5 efforts to enhance the participation of women in 

6 sports both domestically and internationally, to 

7 strive to make the 2012 Summer Olympic Games 

8 the first at which women are on delegations from 

9 every participating country, and to ensure a new 

10 record number of women competitors at the 2012 

11 Summer Olympic Games. 

Æ 


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