The road to transformation in the world of sports is paved with the tireless efforts, successes, and voices of female athletes. As Ana Varela, the former director of the Institute of Women, so aptly puts it, “No transformation is possible without the concrete individuals, in this case, the female athletes, who with their efforts, successes, and voices have marked and continue to mark the way forward.” This sentiment resonates deeply, especially in the context of a recent study aimed at diagnosing situations of gender inequality in high-level competition.
The study, commissioned by Varela’s successors, Isabel GarcÃa and Cristina Hernández, and conducted by David Moscoso Sánchez, a professor at the University of Córdoba, and MarÃa MartÃn RodrÃguez, a professor at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, seeks to provide a practical approach to addressing these inequalities. As Cristina Hernández notes, their objective is “eminently practical: to disseminate recommendations, possible measures, and actions for effective gender equality that can be implemented through public action in the Spanish sports system.”
This comprehensive research, which spanned from May to September 2023, involved a qualitative sociological study featuring 16 high-profile female athletes, five representatives from sports organizations, two journalists, a sports communications professional, and two industry experts. The study collected over 1,260 minutes of testimony, which were later anonymized to protect the participants’ identities, although some of their stories are unmistakable, such as that of the first woman to climb all 14 eight-thousanders on the planet.
Uncovering Inequalities
The result of this extensive work is a report titled “Inequalities of High-Performance Athletes in Spain and Measures for Effective Equality,” which is now available in print and can be downloaded from the Institute of Women’s website. The authors emphasize that their goal was to create a rigorous report highlighting the challenges faced by Spanish female athletes and proposing solutions to change the status quo.
The study reveals that the inequalities faced by female athletes vary across generations, career stages, federations, sports, and even family backgrounds. However, a common thread emerges among those with established international careers: they believe that the Spanish sports system exhibits more significant gender inequality and machismo than other developed countries. This realization sets the stage for a deeper exploration of various issues, including work-life balance, pregnancy and motherhood, the lack of understanding and taboos surrounding female physiology, sexual violence, LGBTQ+ treatment, resource allocation, inequitable prize distribution, and the minimization of achievements.
Key Findings and Recommendations
The study presents 50 recommendations for public implementation, categorized by administration, to improve equality in sports. These proposals are summarized in a decalogue that includes:
- Transversal coordination of public action
- Political commitment from administrations and organizations
- Sport free from violence
- More equitable distribution of resources
- Professionalization of female athletes through improved working conditions
- Incorporation of life conditions into sports
- Recognition and visibility
- Training as a foundation for improving gender equality in sports
This decalogue serves as a roadmap for creating a more inclusive and equitable sports landscape in Spain. As the study’s authors and participants emphasize, it is high time for a change, and this report provides a crucial foundation for that transformation. The journey ahead will undoubtedly be challenging, but with the collective efforts of female athletes, researchers, and policymakers, the Spanish sports system can move toward a more level playing field, where talent and dedication are the only measures of success.