Bermuda is taking a prominent role in the International Olympic Committee's quest for gender equality.

And Island sports groups stand to benefit when the third meeting of the IOC's Woman and Sport Working Group is held here next March, Bermuda Olympic Association president Austin Woods said yesterday.

Woods, who represented all 196 Olympic nations at the Working Group's second meeting last week in Casablanca, Morocco, confirmed that Bermuda would host some two dozen IOC dignitaries at the next conference.

Among them will be prominent IOC members, representatives of individual sports' federations, such as badminton and gymnastics, and role models such as Nawal El Moutawakel-Bennis, who won the first Olympic gold medal by an African woman when she captured the 400 metre hurdles at the 1984 Games.

Dates have not been set, but Woods expects it to be held in mid-March, to be firmed up after negotiations with Island hotels.

Woods has been involved with the working group since its inception and assumed the post of NOC representative largely because of the region in which he works (Bermuda is actively involved in Pan American, Commonwealth, Central American and Caribbean, and Olympic competitions.) He has seen female participation in the Olympics more than double since the 1984 Los Angeles Games but concedes the battle isn't won.

"Certain African nations refuse to meet goals or criteria,'' said Woods.

"All we do is put pressure on them when they come to meetings.'' Pressure in this case can mean the threat of losing IOC funding.

Gender equality is also strained in Islamic nations, where women in sports is frowned upon and strict dress codes prohibit women from wearing athletic gear.

Woods said the IOC was working with sporting goods manufacturers to help accommodate them.

Eleven Asian nations and ten from Africa were among 26 NOCs without female athletes last year, compared to just two without male athletes.

Like all IOC commissions, the Working Group is an advisory body but its work seems to having an affect.

"Absolutely, (gender equality) is on the rise,'' he said yesterday.

Soccer and softball were added to the women's programme in 1996 and women's curling and ice hockey kick in in the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. For 2000, women will participate for the first time in taekwondo, triathlon and weightlifting.

The number of women athletes in the Summer Olympics has increased every year since 1908, jumping from 2,708 in 1992 to 3,626 in Atlanta -- but still represent only around 35 percent of total athletes.

The IOC began a close look at the question of women and sport based on the findings of a study commission for the Centennial Congress in August, 1994. A new commission, chaired by IOC executive board member Anita Defrantz, was formed and met for the first time less than two years later in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Thirteen recommendations were made and most were adopted by the 105th IOC Session held last July. Last week's second meeting undertook more action and Woods said the task would continue here next year.

"It's ongoing from Olympiad to Olympiad,'' Woods said of the Working Group's mandate.

Among the Group's recommendations that have been adopted are: At least 10 percent of all decision-making offices in the Olympic movement, including national federation and sports organisations, be held by women by 2000 and 20 percent by 2005.

The Olympic programme must include an equal number of women's sports, disciplines and events.

Olympic solidarity should create a special fund to promote women in sports at all levels.

Seminars for women in administration and leadership, coaching and sports journalism should be organised every year.

Amending the Olympic Charter to take into account the need to keep equality for men and women.

AUSTIN WOODS -- instrumental in Bermuda's hosting of next year's meeting of the IOC Woman and Sport Working Group.