In addition to the written request to the Commission, German MEP Hiltrud Breyer (Greens/European Free Alliance) is calling on the EU to exercise more influence at international sports events so that countries which only send male athletes, such as Saudi Arabia or Iran, are not permitted to take part in the events.
In 2003 Parliament adopted a resolution on an own initiative report by MEP Geneviève Fraisse (GUE/NGL, France). It pointed out that 37% of young women aged between 15 and 24 (compared to 63% of men of that age) regularly take part in physical or sporting activity.
Separately, a study published in January 2005 at the request of the Commission following the European Year of Education through Sport proposes (recommendation no.13, p.91) research into sporting programmes to promote the development of intercultural dialogue for women. The idea is to build on the work of bodies such as the International Working Group on Women and Sport and the IOC Commission on Women and Sport.
