Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy
1st Sport Federations Management Forum
24 November 2015
Dr Vassil Girginov
Brunel University London
Agenda

Introduction

Women in sport - a century old issue


From Pierre de Coubertin to London 2012 and beyond

Women in the UAE context

Lessons for sport management
Understanding women’s participation in sport:
A management perspective
Introduction
Women in sport - a century old issue
1901 - “The role of the woman remains what
it has always been: she is above all man’s
companion, the future mother; and must be
educated with that unchanging future in mind”
1912 – “An Olympiad with females would be
impractical, uninteresting, unaesthetic and
improper”
Cultural
•Women stay at home
and take care of
children
•Sport harms
Biological women’s
reproductive systems
1935 – “In the Olympic Games, as in the
contests of former times, women’s primary
role should be to crown the victors.”
Women in sport - a century old issue
2012
Men:
5,892 (55.8%)
Women: 4,676 (44.2%)
1908
37 Female athletes
1,971 Male athletes
ACCREDITED MEDIA
Press :
15% women
Host Broadcaster: 20% women
Right holders:
20% women
Total:
19% women
29 NOCs had women Chef de Mission (14.2%)
Africa:
Americas:
Asia:
Europe:
Oceania:
9 (31%)
8 (27.6%)
4 (13.8%)
7 (24.1%)
1 (3.4%)
Women in sport – Key Milestones
Brighton
Declaration
1994
Principles
1995
Global legitimacy/Advocacy
Montreal Tool Kit
2002
Management tool
Women in sport – Key Issues
400 organisations worldwide
Source: Gharavi, 2009
Women in the UAE context
Women account for 22.4% of the total workforce (5.4% in 1995)
Occupy 66% of government jobs
30% are in decision-making positions.
Gender inequality:
a male/female ratio of 2.2, or
2.75 for the 15-65 age group
Tradition vs Modernity
gender gap in perceptions
Progressive career
Moderate career
Facilitated career
Idealistic career
Football –
20%
Swimming – 10%
Other sports – 4%
Women in sport: Lessons for sport management
The only guaranteed result of any managing formula is failure
(Mintzberg, 2011)

Cultural norms and traditions

Economic inequality

Discourses

Structures

Operating norms
Policy and strategy development
Advocacy and support/capacity building

Differences in funding/sponsorship

Differences in publicity and male/female representation

Re-emergence of sex test
Understanding women’s participation in
sport – A management perspective

Go where women are

Barriers

Motivations

Communications
Source: Sport England 2014
Barriers to women’s participation in sport
Socio-cultural and economic barriers
(the manifest idea that sport is masculine and elitist)
Women’s motivation for sport
I’m playing regularly but
need to be retained
I’ve started to play but need
to make it a habit

A multifaceted challenge
I’m actively looking for the
right activity/place

Specific programme objectives

Strategic targeted programming
I’m beginning to be
interested

Deliberate communication strategie

Widening the range of activities:
Sport is not on my radar
sport, recreation, play and dance
UAE Sport Federations and Women Sport
Development

Where would you like to see sport for women in the
next three years?

What would be the best way to get there?

What capacities do you need to build?

What services would you expect from the Fatima Bint
Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy?