A recent report conducted by Women in Sport has revealed that 40% of women experience gender discrimination in the sports industry.
The report, called Beyond 30 – workplace culture in sport, conducted interviews with 42 men and women as well as a survey with 1152 men and women working in the sector.
40% of women said that their gender has negatively influenced how people value them, in comparison to just 9% of men.
Furthermore, 38% of women said that they experienced gender discrimination and 30% said that they had experienced inappropriate behaviour from the opposite sex.
When asked whether or not it is easier for women to progress in the workplace, just three per cent of women and nine per cent of men agreed.
However, when asked if it is easier for men to progress, 53% of women and 23% of men agreed.
Charlton Athletic player, Georgia Pearch, says that she constantly experiences sexism playing football. “The boys’ team will always come before us, we have to organise our training times around them.”
Both men and women agree that the gender balance in sport will not happen without intervention and Women in Sport recommend quotas, but not everyone agrees.
One woman from the study said: “I can’t think of anything worse than having somebody promoted into a senior management role, just because they’re a woman. That just doesn’t feel fair on men or women.”
Another added: “It should just be about the best people doing the best work for the best purpose. It is irrelevant whether you are male, female, British or not.”
Women in Sport say it is not about men versus women, but progress, opportunity and a better working environment for all.
A spokesperson for Women in Sport said” Women in Sport want the number of women leading and influencing in sport to grow and to develop solutions to the cultural barriers which currently exist.
“Men, as well as women, need to be part of the solution with positive engagement from the top and clear sight of the benefits to all.”
Women United 
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