Question

critically discuss how females are discriminated against in sporting and give examples to illustrate your answer​

Answer 1

Women suffer frequent discrimination in their access to, and practice of, both amateur and professional sport – discrimination which is contrary to Council of Europe principles. This discrimination manifests itself in the persistence of stereotyping, the lack of a back-up and support structure for sportswomen and for girls who show potential in their sport, the difficulty of reconciling work/sport and family life, the problem of reintegrating into the world of work, inadequate media coverage of women's sport and the limited nature of private funding.

The Parliamentary Assembly should call on the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to work out a “European Strategy for Women and Sport” which should, in particular, encourage women and girls to take part in sport from their schooldays onwards and all their lives, promote gender mainstreaming in public policy concerning sport, support women's sport and women's participation in top-level sport, favour women playing a greater part in sport's ruling bodies and encourage better media coverage of women’s sport.

The lack of women on sport's ruling bodies constitutes a particular obstacle to the achievement of equality between women and men in sports activities. Notwithstanding the efforts made by the International Olympic Committee, women's participation in ruling bodies remains marginal in most Council of Europe member states.