Gender equality in athletics is to be completed as women have been allowed to compete in the 50-kilometres race walk at the upcoming team world championships in Rome.
The ruling body IAAF said late Monday that women will walk together with the men at the May 7-8 event, and at future 50k IAAF events until the women have their own 50km race walk.
"I welcome this amendment which marks one of the last important steps to ensure equal competition opportunities for men and women at IAAF competitions," IAAF president Sebastian Coe said.
"While there are still differences in some men's and women's events the 50km race walk until now remained the last event solely open to men."
The women's pole vault, hammer throw and steeplechase have been added in recenht years, and the inclusion of the 50km walk follows a petition by American race walker Erin Taylor-Talcott.
"This is such a huge and amazing step for women's rights and female race walkers all over the world," she was quoted as saying.
The decision by the IAAF council comes after the IAAF Congress last year agreed to include the women's 50km walk as a listed world record event. There is no official world record yet as it will require a separate women's race.
The latest decision will not apply for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August because any new event/discipline requires approval from the International Olympic Committee.
Like at world championships, the women will only have a 20km event in Rio while the men compete in 20km and 50km race walks.
