Since the inception of sports, women have struggled for equality. They have faced discrimination, unequal funding, and sexism – as well as being underrepresented in pivotal sport institutions, decision-making bodies and leadership positions. But in recent years, some victories have been made. For example, the implementation of 30% gender diversity on the boards of sports’ publicly funded governing bodies, led by Women in Sport, is slowly altering the wider narrative.
Nevertheless, the quest for gender equality in sport is far from over. Women who put in an equal amount of effort should be entitled to the same participation possibilities, financial support, pay and perks as men. This needs to be pursued strategically by sports groups, so that it becomes a fundamental principle of their business model and not just a tokenistic social responsibility measure.
In order to achieve gender equality in sports, it is critical that the entire society supports this goal. The public should show solidarity by supporting women’s teams, promoting sporting activities and encouraging girls to participate in sports. Additionally, sports companies should be obligated to address discrimination and harassment through easy-to-use whistleblowing platforms that guarantee the anonymity and confidentiality of the whistleblowers.
Moreover, the media should focus on the athleticism of athletes rather than on the objectification of female athletes. This will increase awareness of the issue and promote positive attitudes towards gender equality in sport. The results of this article indicate large geographical and socio-political differences in Europe regarding attitudes towards gender equality (ATGEQS). This is mainly due to the Nordic countries, which stand out with high ATGEQS scores, while Austria and Eastern European countries resist progressive values in favour of traditional and conservative views on gender roles.