Gender, Race and Ethnicity Issues in Sport Management
Historically, sports have been the most popular form of leisure and entertainment for many Americans. Some countries take great pride in identifying with various sports such as football. Events like EURO 2012 and FIFA 2014 World Cup are some of the most-watched programs attracting millions of viewers worldwide. The popularity has attracted contradicting ideas regarding gender, race, and ethnicity in sports. Issues concerning race and ethnicity in sports are more prevalent in multicultural nations like the United States of America.
The topic of gender discrimination in sports is an old and controversial subject. Since the early days, women have always been sexualized and seen as weaker. And when a woman decides to participate in sports traditionally viewed for men such as bodybuilding, they are seen as less feminine and risk being stereotyped as lesbians. Men are also not immune to gender discrimination. Sports like swimming are considered feminine, and a male who chooses to participate is often viewed as less masculine.
Today, more women are participating in different types of sports. Even then, female sports receive minimal media coverage. Women also earn less than their male counterparts for playing similar games at similar levels. This speaks volumes regarding gender discrimination, and the pressure women have to deal with when participating in sports. When it comes to leadership, women are rarely given important positions and only occupy less significant levels. Even most women sports are led and managed by male coaches and trainers.
Racial discrimination is also another relevant topic in sports. A 2018 study identified at least 52 instances of racial discrimination in sports in the United States and more than 137 cases internationally. The study also discovered that people of color experience more harassment from teammates, opponents, and spectators. This involved direct harassment where racial slurs are outrightly hurled at them either in the locker rooms or in the field. LeBron James, a successful basketball player, was vandalized using racial slurs on the 2017 NBA Finals’ eve. Racial discrimination has also been common in football, where people of color are racially discriminated. Recently, Rahim Sterling, a Manchester United player, was the target of racial slurs during Chelsea’s match. Also, people of color occupy very few top leadership positions in sports organizations.
The journey to equality is possible but not easy. First, society must accept that both males and females can compete in practically any sports of their choice regardless of their gender. This can only be possible by doing away with traditional norms and notions responsible for gender stereotyping in sports. Sports organizations should also be at the front-line by developing zero-tolerance policies to gender and racial discrimination.
