Women in sport: Are we on the road to championing a level playing field?
Women's sport has recently captured global media attention. The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham featured record breaking female performances from over 70 countries. We enjoyed the English women's football team win at the European Championships in July, and witnessed the Tour de France feature a women's tour with significant media coverage and public interest.
These events are important and prompt us to ask about the rewards of sport and gender parity, “is it a fair game?”
Sportswomen often defy gender stereo types making them ideal role models for younger generations. For example, Serena Williams, a decorated athlete is not only a sports icon but is also considered a role model to young girls and new mothers alike.
Despite the valuable contribution of women in sport, the disparity in media coverage, pay and prize money amongst female and male sportspersons worldwide remain apparent. As at 2020, women’s sport continued to receive only 4% of the total sports media coverage in print and broadcast.
Additionally, the Women’s Sports Foundation reported that NBA players receive approximately 49-51% of league revenue, whilst WNBA players receive approximately 22.8%. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) further reports that female athletes earn only 63% of their male counterparts, highlighting disparity in pay. The inequality in sports is further evidenced from only 2 women occupying positions in the Forbes Top 50 Highest paid Athletes: 2022 list (Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams).
On a positive note, a BBC sports survey showed approximately 83% of sports presently offer equal prize money for men and women. Moreover, the US Women Soccer Players Association recently won a settlement on discrimination and equal pay, indicating a major step forward in achieving equal pay for women in sports. Despite this, as apparent from the following image, pay disparity remains large, with tennis reflecting the sport with the smallest disparity. Thus, much remains to be done in championing equality in sport.
Pay disparity in sport : Source: Adelphi university NY, World Economic Forum, 2022
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