The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) executive board on Thursday approved to increase the number of teams in women's soccer, hockey and handball from 10 to 12 for Beijing Olympics.

Furthermore, Beijing Olympics will also see a women's 3,000m stepplechase, a 10km open water swimming event for both men and women. And doubles events in table tennis are to be replaced by men and women's team events.

The approval aims to give more chances for women to compete in Olympic Games. In Athens 59 percent of the ahtletes were men and 41 percent women. The IOC is pushing to eventually have the level at 50-50.

However, the executive board turned down plans to include women's boxing but director of sport Kelly Fairweather said the door was not closed.

The women's boxing would be looked at again in 2009 and could be included for the London 2012 Games, Fairweather said.

Also rejected was a bid by softball to increase the number of teams from eight to 10.

Beijing will be softball's last Olympics. In July the IOC session voted both softball and baseball off the Olympic program.

Editor: Donald