Gender equality in sports is a priority for many organisations and individuals. However, significant gender disparities persist. Women and girls are underrepresented in key roles such as governance, coaching, technical officials and team leadership. Safeguarding measures are not fully implemented and violence against women and girls is underreported. This is exacerbated by the lack of appropriate response mechanisms and a failure to prioritize survivor-focused, trauma-informed responses.

Despite increased participation and more widespread media coverage, there is still a long way to go in tackling gender discrimination in sport. The gender gap in prize money remains a major issue, as the average amount of prize money awarded to male athletes is around six times greater than for female athletes. This inequality reinforces the stereotype that men are better at sports and thus should be paid more. It also encourages young girls to believe that sports are only for boys and men.

In our work on gender equality in sports, we have found that a direct relationship exists between sport participation and attitudes towards gender equality (ATGEQS). This is supported by the findings of our analysis using data from the Special Eurobarometer 525. Using a multi-method approach, we apply Fuzzy-Hybrid TOPSIS to construct a synthetic indicator of ATGEQS, followed by latent profile analysis and multinomial regression to understand the determinants of these attitudes.

Achieving gender equality in sports requires a holistic approach and an organisational framework that is based on principles of inclusion, respect and fair treatment. This includes creating safe environments for all participants, fostering participation amongst all groups, ensuring that women and girls are represented in sport at every level of the game, and addressing underlying causes such as poverty, inequality and lack of political engagement.