Gender Diversity in European Sport Governance

Gender equality is one of the founding democratic principles of the EU. However, recent studies of the Federation of Olympic Sports in Europe have shown that women occupy only fourteen percent of decision-making positions in sport organizations. This book presents a comprehensive and comparative study of how various regions and countries of Europe have addressed this lack of gender diversity, discussing which strategies have brought about change and to what extent these changes have been successful. With contributions from leading sport sociologists, covering countries such as Germany, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey and the UK, it provides a foundation for future policymaking, methodological analyses and theoretical developments that can result in sustainable gender equality in European sport governance. Gender Diversity in European Sport Governance is important reading for scholars and students in the fields of sociology of sport, sport management, sociology, gender studies and studies of organization, management and leadership. It is also a valuable resource for policy makers in the EU, as well as national sport organizations and activists.

Agnes Elling is Senior Researcher at the Mulier Institute in the Netherlands, researching sport in society. She has a specific focus on mixed methods research and intersectional analyses. She was a member of the extended board of the International Sociology of Sport Association and is currently part of the editorial board of the International Review for the Sociology of Sport. She has received several grants for research on gender equity and social diversity in sport and sport leadership. Jorid Hovden is Professor at the Department of Sociology and Political Science, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, and Guest Professor at the Arctic University of Norway. Her special focus is on recruiting processes, leadership ideals and gendered political strategies in sport politics and coaching. She was a member of the extended board of the International Sociology of Sport Association and is currently part of the editorial board of the International Review for the Sociology of Sport as well as the European Journal for Sport and Society. She has chaired research committees and dissertation committees at national and international levels. She is the past president of the Association for Gender Research in Norway. Annelies Knoppers is Professor (emeritus) at the Utrecht School of Governance, Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Her special focus has been on the often invisible processes that may hamper shifts to gender equity in sport organizations and boards of directors. She was senior editor of the Sociology of Sport Journal and is now a member of the editorial boards of the International Review for the Sociology of Sport and Sport Management Review. She has been awarded grants directed towards changing current gendered practices in sport by the Dutch Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) and the IOC and has chaired research and dissertation committees at national and international levels.

Part I: Mapping the Field, 1. Introduction, 2. Europe in World Perspective: the Sydney Scoreboard Global Index for Women in Sport Leadership, Part II: Country Studies, 3. Turkey: Men's Resistance to Gender Equality in Sport Governance, 4. Spain: Social, Political and Organisational Explanations, 5. Catalonia: The Voices of Female Chairs of Sports Clubs, 6. Poland: Under-representation and Misrecognition of Women in Sport Leadership, 7. Hungary: Unquestioned Male Dominance in Sport Governance, 8. Germany: A Long Way to Go, 9. The Netherlands: Transformations but Still a Great Deal to be Done, 10. England: A 'Sporting Future' for All?, 11. Scotland: Over the Starting Line or Still in the Blocks?, 12. Norway: Gender, Governance and the Impact of Quota Regulations, 13. Sweden: A Gender Perspective on Sport Governance, Part III: Sport Specific Case Studies, 14. Cricket: The Women's Cricket Association and the England and Wales Cricket Board, 15. Snowboarding: Women's Agency from Outsiders to Insiders in the Organisation, Part IV: Meta-analyses and Conclusions, 16. Meta-analyses: Data and Methodologies, 17. Meta-analyses: Policies and Strategies, 18. Meta-analyses: Theoretical Issues, 19. Conclusions: Progress, Stability and Future Possibilities