The alarming rise of sexism in sport: why are we not talking about it?

Image via Wikimedia Commons

In a world becoming increasingly outspoken against sexism in all areas of life, sexism in sports has recently regained prominence in the global conversation about gender equality after a series of tweets against Serena Williams. A Twitter user was publically shamed by JK Rowling after he commented that Williams is ‘built like a man’, although his tweet has since then been deleted. Rowling’s retaliatory tweet led to a large number of tweets supporting her and Williams but also saw a backlash of those supporting the Twitter troll. That a woman’s appearance is still a major topic of conversation, and that Williams’ incredible career has been accredited to a ‘manly’ body, is a sad reminder of the prominence of sexism in sport on all levels.

As perhaps one of the most separated and stigmatised sports, women’s football has received media attention in the wake of the sports sexism debate. The recently disgraced FIFA president Sepp Blatter was globally criticised for his comment in 2004 that female footballers should wear ‘tighter shorts’ to make the game more appealing to male viewers—a gaffe that demonstrated the ever-strong sexualisation of women in sport, and is reminiscent of the commonplace comments made about women’s volleyball. In August 2014 at a post-press conference session, Blatter also stated that it is ‘so difficult to accept [women] in the game… not playing the game, but in the governance’, further asserting his already tarnished reputation.

Blatter represents FIFA, but FIFA itself holds up its own sexist values regardless of its president’s bigoted blunders. A comment article in The Guardian by Penny M Venetis, calling for FIFA’s sexist policies to leave football along with Blatter, highlighted the organisation’s high levels of gender discrimination. Women football players are paid a small proportion of their male counterpart’s wages, with the highest-earning female player being paid $400,000 compared to the $19-million base salary earned by the highest-earning male. The article also reports that women are ‘deliberately excluded’ from senior positions in FIFA, with none of the three women on the executive committee, which comprises 27 members, occupying the role of vice-president or higher.

Those defending football and other sports often do so on the basis that there is more money in male sport. This is undoubtedly true. The Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) reported that 0.5% of sponsorship money for UK sport goes to women; men’s sport attracts 61.6% of the market, and team sports receive the rest. But this comes as no surprise when it is reported that only 2% of mainstream sports coverage is dedicated to women’s sports. There is no money because there is no exposure; there is no exposure because of the ingrained sexism present in the media, and in the society in general, when it comes to women’s sports. Even the most widely covered and televised women’s sports, women’s tennis, for example, are only just beginning to reach equality. Only very recently, a decision has been made to pay female players the same as their male counterparts in prize money at tournaments.

From the Twitter row around Serena Williams to the indisputable inequalities present at the core of sports organisations, sexism in sport is as prominent as it has ever been. It is difficult to ascertain how it should be tackled: shutting down sexist comments such as JK Rowling did is a start, but can only address the behaviours of petty individuals. With wider national and even global movements making an impact on women’s sport, the outlook is positive, but a significant change in the mentality of the media, the public and the executive committees of influential sports organisations is needed before any lasting overall change can take place.

Originally posted on The Global Panorama.