LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND -- The International Olympic Committee rejected women's boxing yesterday, but approved open-water swimming and women's steeplechase for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

The IOC executive board ratified the recommendations of its program commission for events and disciplines within the 28 existing sports in the Summer Games.

Also approved were increases in the number of women's teams in soccer, field hockey and handball to 12 from 10 and the replacement of doubles with team events in table tennis. The IOC, striving for sex equity in the Olympics, said the changes will result in 80 more female athletes at the Games. At the Athens Olympics last year, 41 per cent of the competitors were women. Yesterday's decision means there will be 302 medal events in Beijing, one more than in Athens. The new events also are expected to remain on the program for the London Games of 2012.

But boxing has run into problems with the IOC. The IOC froze more than $1-million (U.S.) in payments to the International Amateur Boxing Association after Athens because of concerns over judging in the sport.

In Ottawa, Robert Crete, the executive director of Boxing Canada, said it was "extremely disappointing" that women's boxing was not admitted. "But it's the first time our international body has tried to have it recognized by the IOC, so I'm hoping we'll have it included in 2012," Crete said.

At the world championships last month in Moscow, Mary Spencer of Windsor, Ont., won a gold medal, Ariane Fortin of Quebec City got a silver and Sandra Bizier of Saint-Emile, Que., and Katie Dunn of Windsor each received bronzes.

Also rejected were requests for an increase in the number of men's basketball teams to 16 from 12 and women's softball to 10 from eight; inclusion of mixed doubles in tennis; and introduction of six 50-metre swimming events for men and women. Various increases in rhythmic gymnastics, women's wrestling, women's weightlifting and tae kwon do also were turned down.

The IOC board also denied a request from the international luge federation for the inclusion of natural track events at the Vancouver Winter Games in 2010. The Olympics already have artificial track luge events.

For Beijing, the IOC accepted the international swimming federation's proposal for 10-kilometre open-water events for men and women. The races, already featured at swimming's world championships, take place in rivers, lakes or oceans.

In track, steeplechase was the only event left in the Olympics without women. The gruelling 3,000-metre race made its women's world-championships debut in Helsinki in August. Women's pole vault and hammer events were added at recent Games.

The IOC, under president Jacques Rogge, has set a cap of 28 sports and 10,500 athletes for the Summer Olympics. Rogge has instituted a review of the program after each Games.

In July, the IOC voted to drop baseball and softball after the Beijing Games, leaving 26 sports on the program for London. Baseball and softball are pushing for a new vote in a bid for reinstatement in February.

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