In this LARRUN we wanted to highlight one idea: thanks to the efforts of some people, steps have been taken in favour of equality in recent years, but, unfortunately, in the sports field (also) there are still many gaps to be filled. On the other hand, the words addressed to us by Matilde Fontechea, a professor at the UPV/EHU in the days held last month in Bilbao, have led us to put the brakes on: “It’s common to say that we get better, then there’s a lot to do to add it. Let us not deceive ourselves, at best we will hardly change the situation. Let's address the issue from the point of view of feminism. Sport is essential for a profound transformation, humanization and transformation of its old beliefs on women’s skills. We have to reflect on the setback that is taking place in all areas of society in the field of equality, on the rise of neo-sexism, on the return to idolatry of ‘beautiful sex’ and on how this setback can be seen in sport. In sports organisations, women are considered to be a minority and not a citizen with the same rights as men. Considering that gender is a cultural construction, we must address the relationship between sport and gender roles and analyze how the system of social relations works, insofar as it places women worse than men and determines the concepts of the feminine and masculine”.

In this we have striven, taking as a starting point the report Analysis of the situation of women athletes of high level (pdf) published by the Basque Government in 2010 and traveling to childhood, taking into account that girls and boys are educated from birth with different models of socialization, which influences the attitude of each of them in relation to physical exercise and sport, as explained by several experts. We accompany Ainhoa Azurmendi, member of the consulting firm Avento, athlete, expert in equality issues and one of the authors of the aforementioned research work. We have also interviewed Mikel Ibargoien, the conductor of the Kirol Leihoa space of the Info7 radio, and we have collected the testimonies of several female athletes, some of whom have been caught here and others.

Access to sport, limited since childhood

“Sport is traditionally a male field,” says the report, which focuses on the experiences of 25 women and 28 men who received the BAT Foundation (Basque Team) scholarship in 2009: “Not only has it assumed the stereotypes imposed on each sex, but it has also justified and perpetuated the low presence of women in sport, based on the belief that girls are not able to do sport, compete or make physical effort. On the contrary, with regard to physical abilities and abilities, it has become clear that this presumed male superiority originates fundamentally from cultural and educational reasons. However, women continue to be discriminated against at all levels of sport. This myth that women do not have the capacity to develop physical capacities has led society to legitimize the lack of interest, the tendency to avoid risk or ineffectiveness in the different areas of sport, both in practice, in management and management positions, as well as in the performance of judicial functions, among others”.

Likewise, the authors of the study Ainhoa Azurmendi and Juan Manuel Murua have emphasized that women’s access to sport is limited since childhood, which excludes them from the “beneficial and rewarding effects” of physical activity: “Even when they manage to enter, their achievements are undervalued and clearly discriminated against; for example, sports organisations provide them with fewer resources and a worse quality.”

In order to understand the difficulties and obstacles encountered by high-level athletes, it is necessary to take into account all psychosocial aspects, as underlined by the study of the Basque Government:

Socialisation: In addition to the behaviors that boys and girls have learned through socialization, the stereotypes associated with each sex also influence the choice of the type of sport and the duration of the sport they choose. More and more women are abandoning stereotypes and practicing sports that were actually for men. However, women participating in these sports are expected to maintain a male attitude.

Stereotypes: Unlike stereotypes related to masculinity (aggression, leadership, ambition, competitiveness, resistance…), those who adhere to women (obedience, motherhood, passivity, dependence, tenderness…) are not characteristics that relate to the activity of high sports performance. Consequently, the identification of competitive sport with masculine characteristics has led to a conflict between women who practice performance sport.

Masculinisation: Female athletes have masculinization as a duty if they want to achieve good sports results; some athletes associate masculinization with the cultivation of body muscles, losing femininity. And to ensure their femininity, they are ‘adorned’ with earrings, makeup, heels, etc.

Structures and Institutions: Women face some of the structural and organizational obstacles to the sports route, especially in relation to federations and clubs, which make it difficult for them to participate in sports: they receive less economic support than men, give them the worst schedules and facilities, the worst prepared trainers...

Protection: Women who have become high-level athletes, or women who love sport in an extraordinary way, who have advanced beyond all obstacles in an environment full of inequalities, conscious or unconscious, or who have been supported by their family and structure, conscious of their sports capabilities. Many parents, without giving much importance to the issue, take it as a good idea that their daughters stop practicing sport. The daughters themselves admit that sport is nothing more than a matter of youth, that they will not be professionals in the future and dedicate their time to more profitable activities for the future.

Professionalisation: The hegemonic model of elite sport has devoured many high-level sport women; although they do not realise the differences they have suffered – through the aid they have received to get to where they are – there are contradictions in their statements. When talking about professionalization, for example, it is accepted that it is a “utopia”.

Models and media: The lack of referents and models for women also influences the future of girls. It is essential that the media make known the girls’ competitions to make their achievements visible and encourage women to do sport, as they often do not have to watch.