The Winter Olympics shows women’s sports still need to be saved for women only

Published February 18, 2026 6:00am ET



Growing up, my dad tracked time based on the Olympic Games. “By the next Olympics, you will have graduated from high school!” he would inevitably say as we huddled around the TV to critique elite athletes’ diving techniques. Or, to the newlyweds in the room, “Last time this happened, you did not even know your spouse!” 

It is true that the biennial rhythm of the Olympic Games offers a moment for retrospective reflection. The 2024 Paris Olympics were unfortunately marked by accusations and unnecessary violence in women’s boxing — the inevitable product of blurring the lines between men’s and women’s sports. So, as we take to the international stage once again, let us reflect. What have we done to avoid this chaos, and are we finished? 

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