Does sport create differences and inequalities...?
Sports is a massive part of modern society, generating £20.3 billion GVA in 2010 (Sport England, 2013a). Despite this, it is claimed that through sports, differences and inequalities are reflected and created (2014, p.73)
Sport is a highly competitive field for most abled bodied people and overweight or disabled people can face even more challenges and constraints, through their abilities and struggle for equal opportunity in sports. The Paralympics was established in 1974 which finally allowed people with disabilities the opportunity to fairly compete in Olympic in sport. However, differences are highlighted as unlike the Olympics the events are organised around the athlete’s abilities (Woodward, 2014, p.60). All participants are placed in to one of four IPC classes depending on impairments. So, the athletes can compete against those of equal abilities. Despite claims made by IPC, the popularity of the Paralympics had increased through digital media, disabled athletes have noticed the lack of media coverage. To support this, evidence from a case study on Sarah Storey is a good example. Despite winning multiple medals in the Paralympics she found that she received much more media attention in the commonwealth games in 2010 (Woodard, 2014, p.64). People with disabilities wanting to take part in sports personally also face constraints. Evidence from an SRA report shows how sports centres lack appropriate facilities, with 3 in 5 leisure centres lacking equipment and two thirds not having suitably trained staff. Even after the supposed popularity of the Paralympics in 2012, 89% of clubs saw no increase in disabled members (SRA (2012), cited in Woodward, 2014, P.55). In another interview a coach explained that many disabled members say they can’t do it, but this is only because they have never been encouraged. As well as disabilities, bodies of different genders also face inequalities in sports.
Women can find it hard to take up sports because of things like lack of income, childcare or time constraints. However, there are also perceptions that sports are manly and you need to look a certain way to take part. Data evidence from Sport England was produced on sport participation from 2006 to 2013. Although participation had increased there was still 9.6% less women participating than men. This is a good source of quantitative evidence, but to support this further qualitative evidence as to why this is the case was seen in the video Sport for all (The Open University, 2014). Anita White explained that in the world cup she took part in, nobody expected the female team to do very well. When they won, she felt like a second-class citizen as there was not as much recognition for the women’s team as there was the men’s. She also mentioned that sport is portrayed as macho and women feel that it’s not for them. The women that do take part competitively in sport also face prejudice. The Intense training can change the appearance of their bodies making them look muscular, and the competitive nature of sport means women must adopt Connell’s concept of hegemonic masculinity (Connell (2005), cited in Woodward, 2014, P.66). Evidence from Caster supports this claim. After competing in 2009 her gender was questioned due to her masculine physique, and she was suspended from competing until there was proof of her gender from verification tests. This may not have been the case if she was of a different ethnicity or class.
The final claim to make, is that a large majority of people who participate in sports are of middle and upper class. Data provided by Sport England on adult participation in weekly sports by social class from 2005 to 2013 shows evidence of an increase in sport participation of 1.2% in group NS SEC1-2. This is people in professional or managerial positions which in 2013 accounted for a total of 41.3%. Whereas, only 26.6% of people in the NS SEC5-5 group are taking part in weekly sports. This includes those of working class or unemployed. This group also showed no change in participation between 2005-13, with a tiny decrease of 0.3%. In addition, research from House of lords (2013) can be used as supporting evidence, with 36% of team GB medal winners in 2012 privately educated. This is most likely because private schools provide their students with extensive sporting facilities such as rowing and athletics tracks. Furthermore, between 1979 and 2013, 10,276 state school playing fields were sold by government (Hope, 2013). The lack of sports clubs and playing fields for state school students has led to 69% of primary and secondary school teachers reporting a decrease in the student’s sport participation (The Smith Institute, 2013). Moreover, one of the promises made by the government for the London Olympics was the introduction of Sports partnerships for schools to encourage kids to take up sports. However, this promise was quickly broken when it was scrapped to save £162 million.
From the constraints disabled individuals face in a world made for abled bodies to the problems through gender in sports with a lack of females participating in sports compared to men. Furthermore, inequalities in socio-economic status can prevent people taking part in sports. With a lack of working class people participating in fitness, and evidence of private education having better access to sporting facilities, as well as representing a large majority of Olympic medal winners. All strongly supports the claim that sports creates differences and inequalities.
References
Woodward, K. (2014) ‘Bodies, places and rules’, in Clarke, J. and Woodward, K. (eds) Understanding social lives, Part 2, Milton Keynes, The Open University.
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