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State of play survey

Research purpose

To better understand the sports community’s current views on gender equality in sport.

State of Play was delivered by EY as part of the Change Our Game Research and Insights Initiative. It was released in July 2023.

Research methodology

Between October and November 2022, more than 670 Victorians answered questions around gender in relation to topics including respectful behaviour in community sport, leadership and coaching opportunities in sport, elite sport, role models, and sports media.

Key findings

Overall, while there are some positive attitudes towards women and girls in sport and their right to equal opportunities and access, change is still required in terms of underlying attitudes and behaviours.

Negative behaviour and gendered discrimination in community sport were reported by more than half of people, and women were more likely than men to see or experience it. People overall felt women had fewer leadership opportunities in sport than men, and more women believed this to be the case.
Men were more likely to think that there had been a conscious effort to treat men and women equally over the last five years in their sport, compared to women.
Men were more likely than women to agree that young girls and boys, and men and women, are supported equally by their club to play sport.
Of people who played community sport, women were less likely than men to agree that club facilities were shared equally between men and women or that the main playing venue was shared equally.

See below for more detailed findings on specific topics.

Gender equality in sport

90% of women said gender inequality is still an issue in sport that needs to be fixed, compared to 66% of men
2 in 3 people agreed their sporting organisation needed to work towards better gender balance
9 in 10 people believe there should be more effort to promote girls continued involvement in sport through their teens
Only 27% believe women are treated fairly and not disadvantaged in any sport

Sporting culture and attitudes

56% of people who play community sport have experienced or seen gender imbalance
55% of people who play community sport have experienced or seen sexist language and jokes
28% of women have considered leaving their club due to inequitable treatment
Women are 2.5 times more likely to report feeling unwelcome at their sporting club compared to men
People were 10 times more likely to believe men have more opportunities for financial support as elite athletes than women
Women working or volunteering in sport were 13% less likely than men to feel comfortable voicing their opinion, and 8% less likely to feel that their opinions were valued
21% believed women should not play some sports

Elite sport

4 in 5 elite athletes felt there was a conscious effort to treat men and women equally in sport over the past 5 years
Men elite athletes were 2.5 times more likely than women elite athletes to report that they felt that effort had been ‘to a great extent’
1 in 3 elite athletes felt women and men had equal sponsorship opportunities
Parents of boys were significantly more likely to say their son had elite athletes they considered as role models compared to parents of girls (83% compared to 66%)

Leadership

2 in 3 people reported that men have more opportunities to be in senior leadership positions
73% women noted that men are more likely to get general leadership roles, compared to 59% of men
4 in 5 people working in sport felt men and women are given recognition for their work equally within their organisation
1 in 4 people working in sport still felt men were more qualified to make decisions
4 in 5 people working in sport felt their organisation cared about creating a work environment where men and women are equal
Women and men working in sport felt their direct managers were supportive of their careers in similar numbers (94% vs 95%)

Why is this important?

The State of Play survey shows that more improvement is needed in a range of areas when it comes to gender equality in sport and active recreation, including use of community sport facilities, opportunities for women in leadership roles, respectful behaviour, opportunities for women as athletes and men’s recognition of existing inequality.

Achieving meaningful change towards gender equality requires a system-wide approach to these issues: reforming structures and cultures, supporting and investing in women, implementing strong policy, and advocacy.

Access the full report

OWSR Change Our Game State of Play Survey June 2023 [PDF, 4.0 MB]

Page last updated: 11 September 2024

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