This article demonstrates a link between an economic and social feature of countries, the relative labor force participation rate of women, and a high-profile characteristic, the performance of women in international sports competitions. The relative labor force participation rate of women was a significant determinant of the number and type of medals won by a country’s women in the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics as well as the likelihood of qualifying for the 1999 Women’s Soccer World Cup and performance in that competition. Thus, societies in which women have greater economic opportunities are ones that enable athletically talented women to reach their full potential.
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