Women are twice as likely as men to quit sport after puberty, and the resulting gendered health inequalities could be eased if more girls found joy in sports and were able to develop lifelong skills. But to do so, sporting organisations need to address the structural inequalities that keep many women out of sports: they must provide equal access to facilities and funding, and promote equality through imagery and policies. And they must ensure safe, abuse-free sporting environments by promoting the values of integrity and respect for all participants, regardless of whether athletes are male or female.
The international drive towards gender equality in sport is gathering momentum, but it is not enough. When a rapist represents his country at the Olympics, or when BBC pundits share posts by a misogynistic footballer, it casts doubt on the commitment of sports bodies and the media to creating safe, respectful sport for all. And when women are excluded from a sport because of their gender, it reifies harmful stereotypes and reinforces discriminatory attitudes among society at large.
The gender equality gap in sport can be closed through increased funding for women’s sport, which will enable more people to find the joy of sports and build resilience. It can also be closed by raising awareness of the issues, through campaigns that show the value of women in sport and that challenge stereotypes. And it can be closed through improved mechanisms for reporting discrimination and harassment, by providing easy to use whistleblowing platforms and ensuring that complainants are protected from harm.