A lot of people watched the European Football Championship in England and the Tour de France Femmes in recent weeks. Have those two top events really helped women’s sport move forward? Bart Vanreusel, professor emeritus of sports sociology at KU Leuven, thinks so. “We are experiencing a real breakthrough.”
During the Tour de France for women, hordes of spectators lined the side and the European Championship in England was also played in (almost) full stadiums. How important is this attention to women’s sport? “What we are experiencing today is a giant leap in the development of women’s sports,” says sports sociologist Bart Vanreusel.
“We must not forget that the sport has been dominated by men for more than a century. It was a real man’s bastion. What we have seen over the past few weeks is very remarkable and positive: in performance, in image, in media, in interest. ..”
“I think we are really experiencing a breakthrough,” says Vanreusel. “Something we’ve been waiting for for years. But this certainly doesn’t just happen. Our clubs and associations have been developing women’s sports for years. Just think of our national teams such as the basketball and volleyball women.”
“I was in the fan village in Leuven when the Flames played and you had the same experience there as in the Wembley stadium yesterday.”
This is certainly not random. Our clubs and associations have been developing women’s sports for years.
“Men’s sports should not be the norm”
Still, there is still work to be done in sports? “Yes, there is still criticism here and there and that is normal. It is about performance sport and it always strives for improvement and progress. That will certainly come.”
“Women’s sport should not try to imitate what would traditionally be a men’s sport”, Vanreusel is clear. “Men’s sports are not the norm.”
Is that the problem: are we comparing too often? “Exactly! Men’s sports should not be the standard against which we assess women’s sports. We don’t do that in other domains either.”
“So let it develop as its own version of sport that might even involve some other rules or techniques/tactics. That will happen spontaneously and is already in full swing.”
Who is the furthest in this: public opinion or the sports clubs? “Clubs and unions have a very good sense of how the media and the public react and will make the necessary adjustments. The market will also increasingly play a role in this, but give it some time.”
“Don’t forget where we come from. 100 years ago the Olympic Games were off limits for women, now all disciplines are open and accessible. So we have come a long way and now we have made a great leap.”
Men’s sports should not be the standard against which we assess women’s sports. We don’t do that in other domains either.
“Already had a breakthrough in Belgium”
In the Netherlands, the cyclists are very impressive and in England they have won the women’s football cup for the first time since 1966. Don’t we also need such figures in Belgium? “No, we have already had that breakthrough”, Vanreusel knows.
“We have women’s teams that play at a global level in certain sports, but we may not have picked it up so massively. Football is of course a global sport and now that we also play in it, it will soon become more visible with us and the benefits will be reaped. “
“The essence is about two things: what we see today is an incredible source of inspiration for young girls and women to take up sports as well. Secondly, football is global and perhaps this European Championship will provide a positive tipping point in many countries that women care about. not allowed to exercise for all kinds of reasons,” concludes Vanreusel.
Football is global and this European Championship may well provide a positive turning point in many countries where women are not allowed to play sports for all kinds of reasons
