DISCRIMINATION IN
SPORT
P251 - 262
Discrimination
 Discrimination
occurs when a particular
societal group is constrained or held back
by factors that are not applied to the
dominant group
 They receive less favorable treatment
 In a stratified society where stacking
occurs, minority groups will be the ones
who experience discrimination
Discrimination in Sport
 The
concept of targeting policy towards
certain groups in order to raise
participation levels reflects this social
ranking
 Discrimination often occurs unofficially
 But is often part of an official policy – e.g.
Apartheid in South Africa
Discrimination in Sport
ATTITUDES
STEREOTYPES
MYTHS
DISCRIMINATION
SELF
FULFILLING
PROPHECY
The issues surrounding discrimination are to do with
stereotypical images of groups of people and an
imbalance of power and resources
TASK
 As
we go through each group in society, fill
in the discrimination in sport table,
commenting on reasons for comparatively
low participation and possible strategies
for increasing participation
SOCIAL CLASS/WEALTH
 Refers
to income, background, societal
status and education
 The more money you have, the more
opportunities you have in sport, whether
taking part or watching
 You have a choice of many things,
including whether to use private, voluntary
or public facilities
SOCIAL CLASS/WEALTH
 In
Britain, social class, wealth
discrimination and the subsequent
inequality has been around for a long time
 Pre-industrial times – different classes
followed different sports
 Upper class – hunting
 Lower class – mob football
 Or they held different roles in sport
 Upper class – Patrons or sponsors
 Lower class – bare fist fighter
SOCIAL CLASS/WEALTH
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Industrial revolution –
created the middle class
(3 broad classes)
Upper class –
exclusiveness and
privilege to hunt, shoot
and fish
Middle class – took part
in sport for the love of the
game and social reasons.
Founded NGB’s and
sports clubs
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Working class males –
mainly spectators, some
became professionals.
This did not happen until
the end of the 19C, when
working and living
conditions improved
Working class females –
suffered double
discrimination – gender
and social class
SOCIAL CLASS/WEALTH
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This 3 tier system is still evident today
Upper class can follow polo, or even golf as
these are expensive
Footballs hard core support is predominantly
working class males
Evidence shows lower socio-economic
backgrounds lead to lower sports participation
Due to cost, lower levels of health and fitness,
low self esteem, lack of opportunities
Working class could also feel ‘sport is not for me’
as there is a middle class culture surrounding
sports centres
WOMEN
 The
issue here is that gender stereotypes
need to be broken and that girls and
women need freedom to choose, and
equal opportunities and provision to both
participate and excel
Factors influencing participation and
achievement of women and girls in sport
OPPORTUNITY
FUNDING
PROVISION
ESTEEM
ATTITUDES
PRIZE MONEY
SPONSORSHIP
MYTHS
STEREOTYPES
MEDIA
COMMUNITIES
ROLE MODELS
CREATE PUBLIC IMAGE
INFLUENCES FINANCE
FAMILIES
SCHOOLS
WOMEN - ATTITUDES

Gender roles are
formed within
societies
 Each sex has socially
accepted ways to
behave
 There are
stereotypical models
for masculinity and
femininity
 These stereotypes
can lead to myths

Females are
supposed to be
creative and sensitive
 Males are supposed
to be aggressive,
determined and
confident
 This has an effect on
how children are
socialised, how they
are to behave and fit
in
WOMEN - ATTITUDES

The images of males
and females has an
effect on participation
in sport
 Competitive sport
often has the
characteristics of
masculinity
 So, if women are
involved in
competitive sport,
society often
disapproves

Society will support
participation in
gymnastics and
dance, as they have
attributes associated
with femininity
WOMEN - MEDIA
 Women
receive less than 5% of men’s
coverage in national newspapers and are
still under represented in all areas of the
media
 The media creates a public image of sport
and individuals
 It creates role models
 It influences finances
WOMEN - MEDIA
 The
sporting audience is predominantly
male
 They prefer the power, speed and
dynamism associated with traditional male
sports
 Rather then the aesthetic and technical
brilliance of some women's sports
 The majority of presenters, editors and
sports journalists are also male, although
we do now have the likes of Sue Barker
and Gabby Logan
WOMEN - MEDIA

Many newspapers and TV channels do not
cover minority sports as they can not afford to be
different
 We have the problem of self fulfilling prophecies
 The media create superstars who become role
models and increase participation , but unless
minorities receive airtime in the first place, the
opportunity is lost
 Sports with large audiences attract media
attention, advertising and sponsorship, which
generate income and increase opportunities for
excellence and interest by the masses. Sports
will small audiences are consequently
constrained
WOMEN - FUNDING

In the British Open
golf championship
women get just 10%
of male prize money
 It has been
announced recently
that the male winner
at Wimbledon this
year, will receive
£30,000 more than
the female winner

If women receive less
prize money for doing
the same job as men,
is that discrimination?
 If female sports
receive less
sponsorship than
male sports their
opportunities for
development are
clearly unequal and
restricted
WOMEN – FAMILIES, SCHOOLS AND
COMMUNITIES
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Do families, schools and communities
discriminate?
Do parents offer that same amount of support to
their female as to their male children?
Do schools work to make the image of girls PE
upbeat, attractive and positive or are girls put off
by asexual kit?
Do communities offer the same opportunities for
girls and boys?
Could it be due to the fact that community sport
has more fathers than mothers involved?
Constraints to women's participation might be a
lack of time and disposable income, access and
timing of sessions
ETHNIC MINORITIES
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Racism stems from prejudice linked with the
power of one racial group over another
Although illegal, racism still exists on the
grounds of colour, language and cultural
differences
PFA – set up a campaign in 1993 with the
Commission for Racial equality to ‘Kick Racism
out of football’
This is now called ‘Kick it Out’
The Sports Council and NGB’s encourage the
fight against racism
See handout
What can be done?

Stereotypical thinking can
be challenged
 Race-awareness training
 More opportunities can
be provided for different
cultural groups to pursue
their own cultural
activities

LOOK AT THE SHEET
‘ETHNIC MINORITIES IN
SPORT’
1993 – the then Sports
Council wanted to:
 Raise awareness of racial
inequality in sport
 Increase sporting
opportunities for black
and ethnic minority
people
 Improve skill levels in,
and positive attitudes
towards sport by black
and ethnic minority
people
 Increase the number of
black and ethnic minority
decision makers and
organisers in sport

SPORT, ABILITY and DISABILITY

Society continues to discriminate against,
handicap and impose barriers on disabled
people
 Due to a significant number of disabled adults
relying on benefits, many are financially
disadvantaged, therefore affecting participation
rates
 We must recognise discrimination and identify
measures that could or have been taken to bring
about fairer provision
British Population
6 million of the British
population have some form of
impairment. So, we can see
that not all disabled people
have the same needs
Physical
Mental
Wheelchair users
Sensory
Background
 There
are 7 national disability sports
associations, which are united by the
English Federation of Disability Sport
 People with disabilities have been
considered as dependent and passive
rather than independent and self
governing
 This is probably due to the fact they have
been supported by carers and
professionals
Background
 It
has been realised that attitudes,
assumptions, myths and stereotyping
along with inadequately designed
environments all impose limitations on
disabled people
WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED?
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1989 Government report – ‘Building on Ability’ –
emphasis on ability rather than disability
It provided recommendations for NGB’s, Local
Authorities, the media and disability sports
organisations. Themes included:
Integration
Specialist training for coaches
Adequate provision of facilities at local level
The promotion of positive images of disabled
sportsmen and women
WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED?
 ‘Building
on Ability’ – aims:
 Increase participation of people with
disabilities at all levels on the performance
pyramid
 Ensure equality of access to facilities,
competitions, training and coaching
WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED?
 There
has been a shift towards inclusive
rather than exclusive or segregated
provision
 Campaigns such as Everybody Active and
Pro-Motion have raised awareness
 Access has been improved due to the
Disabled Persons Act 1981 – minimum
access requirements in sports facilities
WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED?
has improved – efficient
wheelchairs and other equipment
 Improved training and coaching
techniques
 Specialist sports centres – Ludwig
Guttman sports centre in Stoke Mandeville
 Paralympics – raises awareness of elite
sport for people with disabilities and
provides positive role models – Tanni Grey
 However, it still receives limited coverage
 Technology
Awareness
 Disabled
people still need to be aware of
what is available for them – facilities and
organisations
 Teachers need to be aware that children
with disabilities need to learn basic
movement abilities which can be
developed into sports specific skills
 Sports organisers need to be aware of the
specific challenge facing disabled people
Attitudes
 Need
to be challenged
 Misconceptions about people with
disabilities need to be corrected
 Individual differences and abilities need to
be emphasised
Access
 Many
issues need to be considered:
 Toilet and changing facilities, ramps, lifts,
wide car parking spaces, hand rails on
stair flights, lever taps on wash basins,
automatic doors, non slip floors, signs in
Braille
Funding
 Unemployment
amongst disabled people
is particularly high
 Disabled people who are employed can
earn on average only 80% of the salaries
of able bodied peers
 Sports organisations must continue to
invest in provision for disabled people
Adaptation and Modification
 In
some sports, disabled athletes can
compete with able bodied athletes e.g.
archery
 However, some sports need to be adapted
to make them accessible e.g. wheelchair
basketball and tennis
 Some games are specifically designed for
people with disabilities
Adapting team games
 Disability
Sport England have suggested
the following ways:
 Use larger, smaller lighter coloured balls
and shorter handled racquets and sticks
 Lower net height and limit playing areas
 Increase team numbers
 Use foam equipment to limit bounce height
 Use bean bags and other easy grip
equipment
The issue of sport, ability &
disability
ATTITUDES
(abolish myths and
provide awareness
training)
AWARENESS
(facilities, teaching, knowledge)
FUNDING
(money
available,
investment in
programmes
What is needed to bring
about equality of access
and opportunity?
ADAPTION &
MODIFICATION
(integrate, but
treat people as
individuals)
ACCESS
SCHOOL PE
(How suitable is the
environment?)
(Integration or
separation?)
Disability and School PE
 As
a result of the Education Act (1988)
many disabled young people have been
integrated into mainstream schools
 There are both advantages and
disadvantages to integration or separation
in PE
Integration
ADVANTAGE
Increases awareness
DISADVANTAGE
Could lead to bullying
A better reflection of
It is expensive to get
society, which integrates specialist teachers for
rather than separates
each school and difficult
for 1 PE teacher to cope
with great diversity of
abilities in 1 class
It is expensive to provide
for adapting and
modifying sports and
providing specialist
facilities
Separation
Advantages
Disadvantages
Specialist teachers focus on
specific needs
Disabled children are more likely to
see themselves as different
Specialist equipment is more likely
to be available
Might make it harder for integration
in later life
All levels of the performance
pyramid more easily established
Presumes that all disabilities are
the same
Reduces opportunities for disabled
children to mix with able bodied
children when, in many cases, the
disability is irrelevant
Older People
What’s the issue?
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Traditionally a low or non involvement in sport by older
people in the UK
Sport should be for all on an equal level
But, media portray sport for younger people
Older people are seen to have the role of spectator or
administrative volunteer
As we have seen, combined inequalities increase
constraints, so that elderly women, elderly people on low
incomes and elderly people from ethnic minority groups
will suffer greater limitations to participation
Sport for all – 50+ All to play for

This was introduced in 1983, it encouraged participation
by emphasising the benefits of sports participation
Benefits
 Social – sport can increase self confidence, be
enjoyable and lead to friendships
 Psychological – participation can give focus to older
people who may feel lost after forced retirement or
redundancy
 Health – Participation can aid cardio-vascular function,
strength and flexibility and can increase a sense of well
being
Problems

May be put off because of the idea sport is for the young
 Few leaders and coaches in the older age range
 Younger instructors may be unclear of the abilities and
needs of their clients or may not specialise in working
with older people
 If older people have been ill or injured they need to be
cautious and seek advice from specialist coaches
 They may be no or little provision for older people in the
community
 Older people may have limited money to spend
 They may find it difficult to become active again after a
number of years
Young People
Issues

In 1960 the Wolfenden Report identified a gap of non
participation when people progressed from school and
childhood to work and adulthood
 School children must have a positive experience of PE to
ensure continued participation in physical activity when
they leave school
 They must have their individual needs and abilities
catered for so that all levels of the performance pyramid
are accessible
Young People

Issues associated with young people and sport
are the moral questions of an emphasis on
sportsmanship or gamesmanship in competitive
sport for young people, while those associated
with elite performers are:
 The advantages and disadvantages of early
specialisation
 The dangers of some intense training methods
 An awareness of the needs for child protection in
the light of some evidence of abuse by coaches
Discrimination in Sport
 Look
at the headings opportunity,
provision and esteem
 Under the headings, what could effect
participation and what could be done to
increase participation
 Complete worksheet