<P> The popularity of women 's basketball grew steadily around the world for decades . By the 1970s the sport had attracted the notice the International Olympic Committee , which added women 's basketball as an official sport of the Olympic Games in 1976 , the men debuted in 1936 . Throughout the 1970s , funding for ( and interest in ) women 's basketball began to dramatically increase as schools receiving federal funding began to come into compliance with new laws mandating a lack of discrimination based on sex . The sport was also gaining attention at the collegiate level , under the auspices of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women ( AIAW ) . A major development in women 's basketball occurred in 1982 when the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) began to sponsor the sport. . After several failed attempts at women 's professional leagues in the U.S. , the NBA founded the WNBA in 1996 . </P>
<P> The popularity of women 's basketball grew steadily around the world for decades . By the 1970s the sport had attracted the notice the International Olympic Committee , which added women 's basketball as an official sport of the Olympic Games in 1976 , the men debuted in 1936 . Throughout the 1970s , funding for ( and interest in ) women 's basketball began to dramatically increase as schools receiving federal funding began to come into compliance with new laws mandating a lack of discrimination based on sex . The sport was also gaining attention at the collegiate level , under the auspices of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women ( AIAW ) . A major development in women 's basketball occurred in 1982 when the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) began to sponsor the sport. . After several failed attempts at women 's professional leagues in the U.S. , the NBA founded the WNBA in 1996 . </P>
when did women 's basketball become an olympic sport
when did women 's basketball become an olympic sport
1976
1976