What’s behind the striking scarcity of female coaches and physiotherapists in the world of elite sports?
What’s behind the striking scarcity of female coaches and physiotherapists in the world of elite sports?
Traditionally, sports have been an activity primarily reserved for men. In 1896, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) remarked, “No matter how toughened a sportswoman may be, her body is not suited to endure certain shocks,” leading to the exclusion of women from the modern Olympics.
Similarly, in 1921, the English Football Association (FA) declared that “the game of football is unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged,” resulting in a ban on women playing for nearly 50 years.
Times have changed, and there has been a noticeable increase in the participation of girls and women in sports. For instance, research conducted by the Football Association (FA) shows significant growth in women's and girls' football at all levels. Between October 2021 and October 2022, the number of registered female players in England rose by 17%. Additionally, there was a 30% increase in the number of female teams. Moreover, the number of female referees grew by 21%, while the number of female coaches surged by an impressive 75%. However, these figures may show an increase, but do still do not reveal the ratios of women to men in sport.
Despite the shifting landscape toward equality, only 12 out of the 32 countries that participated in the 2023 Women’s World Cup, including England, have female coaches. While the number of women participating in sports is on the rise, the rate of women coaching at the top levels of sport has not seen a corresponding increase.
In one of our MSc Strength and Conditioning winter onsite sessions at St Mary’s University in 2023, lecturer Val Craft invited us to divide into small groups and brainstorm famous sports coaches in 30 seconds. We all successfully completed our task with well-known male coaches. Val then gave us the task of brainstorming famous female coaches in the same time frame. We all struggled to come up with anyone apart from Sarina Wiegman… It was quite an eye-opener! We were a group of experienced strength and conditioning practitioners, all working in the industry and studying at the MSc level, yet we struggled to recognise and name female coaches. I glanced around the room and realised that I was in the minority; there were hardly any women on my course!
I reflected on this situation and recently looked into the statistics. Currently, there are 152 students in our MSc programme, but only 16 of them are female, which equates to just 10.5%. Why were so few women taking part in a Master's level coaching course, and why are few women working in elite sports within this industry?
During my BSc physiotherapy training, I observed that the majority of students were women, with very few men in the course. This prompted me to reflect on several questions: Are undergraduate physiotherapists predominantly female, similar to nursing and midwifery? Are women naturally drawn to these caring professions due to the guidance provided by our school career advisors? Or is this trend influenced by societal norms regarding women and the careers they pursue? This raises the question of whether the influences are rooted in nature or nurture.
However, if we consider the progression in sports careers, are women discouraged from pursuing high-level management, coaching or sports-related medical positions? Or do they opt not to extend their careers because they are balancing children, family life, and unsocial working hours? Do men continue to fulfil traditional roles as providers, the ‘hunter-gatherer’, while women take a step back in their careers to focus on being ‘homemakers?’
One perspective indicates that women may not be inspired to pursue careers in sports coaching due to a lack of role models. When we watch a football match on television, we predominantly see male managers, coaches, fitness trainers, physiotherapists, and doctors. This male dominance in coaching roles can deter young women from considering a career in this field. Similarly, at a Formula 1 Grand Prix, we observe that all the drivers have male trainers or coaches, except for the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who employs Angela Cullen to assist with his training and preparations.
Recent research by Jyoti Gosai in 2023 has found that there is also a range of factors affecting female sports coach recruitment, which include an ‘old boys network’ and gender assumptions in society.
Gosai’s research also explains the challenges female coaches face through the ‘Goldilocks dilemma.’ This phrase explains the stereotypical gender bias that many female coaches may face. He highlights three key elements.
The first suggests that female coaches act in a way that is consistent with their gender stereotype, in that they are seen as too soft and more nurturing in nature. Then the opposite can occur if they act in a manner that is inconsistent with their perceived stereotype, eg if they are assertive and decisive, they may be considered as unfeminine or bossy. It is difficult for the female coach to be ‘just right.’
The second element is in respect of the high competence threshold, in that female coaches in elite sport have higher expected standards but lower pay than male coaches. The final and third element was whether female coaches can be perceived as competent or likeable. In that a coach can be good and not liked, or liked but not good, but rarely both.
This dilemma and the facts could be compared to women with executive roles in business. How do business leaders compare to elite-level sports coaching? Can women be leaders? Reading global executive statistics, women constitute a small percentage of CEOs. Recent reports from organisations like Fast Company, The CEO Magazine and Fortune suggest that around 5-6% of CEOs globally are women. The volume of Fortune 500 companies being led by women has only just passed 10% in 2023, but has not increased since. Research by Harvard University in 2024 highlighted that only 8.2% of CEO positions in the USA are occupied by women. Is this because females in the workforce struggle to achieve higher-status jobs or the same pay packets? Is it that women are just not striving to be company leaders? Or are they not given the opportunities?
The next important aspect to consider is sexism in sports and its connection to women either choosing not to pursue high-level positions or leaving their current jobs. According to research by ‘Women in Football’, 18% of women in the football industry have experienced sexual harassment, and a staggering 89% have faced workplace discrimination. This goes to show that females working in football often face unwelcome behaviour that undermines their hard work, qualifications and contributions to the game.
A recent public example of this was in the FA Cup match between Tamworth and Tottenham. What should have been a professional, proud moment for Tamworth’s physio, Beth Willment, turned into a reminder of the challenges that women in football continue to face.
Beth provided care to players on the pitch, but her expertise and professionalism were overshadowed by a wave of online comments that objectified her and dismissed her skills. Many of these comments focused on her appearance rather than her qualifications, with some suggesting that players were intentionally getting injured in order to receive more manual treatment. Additionally, there were crude remarks made about players suffering from "groin strains."
A similar incident reared it’s ugly head when a female England rugby physio tended to England Captain Jamie George was injured at Eden Park in Auckland on 13th July 2024.
The Alternative Commentary Collective (ACC), which is a New Zealand Podcast station, suggested that the physio had performed a sex act on George. The ACC posted the clip to their social media channels post-game with the headline: "Forget the magic water, how about the magic hand***!” Although the post has now been removed, it prompted further degrading remarks on social media. One supporter posted, ”She [physio] should be in the kitchen making someone a sandwich.”
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) chief executive, John Cowman, strongly back-lashed to these social media posts (17th July 2024) by stating:
“These misogynist and sexist comments made against a female member of the medical team working for the England rugby union team are beyond unacceptable - they are disgraceful.”
“No one should face such online abuse and the comments denigrate the high professional standards that she and other sports medics and physiotherapists uphold. This kind of abuse is still all too common both online and in stadiums and needs to end now.”
Finally, there is a factor named the “motherhood penalty” This involves a variety of discriminatory practices and experiences that mothers can face at work, including being held to stricter standards regarding salary and recruitment. An example of research highlighting this was undertaken and published by Torres et al in 2024, whereby they investigated the impact of motherhood on women’s career progression. Despite the progress made by women in the workplace, mothers still face systemic barriers that prevent them from advancing professionally.
Throughout history, women have fought for equal rights. This struggle began with the suffragette movement in the early 20th century, which advocated for women's rights to vote. Over time, the push for equality expanded to include greater participation of women in sports, as seen in the efforts of organisations such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Football Association (FA).
Sports organisations must reform their career pathways to support women in attaining the same roles as men in coaching and sports medicine. It's time for the sporting community to hold itself accountable by emphasising education, providing role models, and creating more workplace opportunities.