Introduction

South Africa’s most recent sports statistics highlight that Banyana Banyana’s fan base has grown dramatically as a result of its WAFCON victory and dish-fit-for-a-king performance at the 2023 FIFA World Cup. We cannot, however, make the same claim about other Middle Eastern nations, such as Yemen, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, where women playing sports is still prohibited and is referred to as “haram” in Islamic terminology.

What is Orthodox Gender Ideology?

“Sport is the orthodox gender ideology,” claims Jay Coakley, a Sociology Sport writer.  It centers on the idea that some sports are fundamentally better suited to either men or women based on stereotypical physical, psychological, or societal characteristics. This perspective upholds rigid gender roles and discourages the involvement or acknowledgment of people who differ from these norms. Mandisa Ntombela, a soccer player for the University of KwaZulu-Natal stated that citizens and journalists can just observe, write, and forget about female sports, but for the women, it is not easy to just accept and move on. She further commented that women are always at war with themselves and fighting society’s ideologies; that they are always fighting for their spot in the sports industry. 

Inequalities between Men’s and Women’s Soccer

One of the inequalities, despite their talent and dedication, is the sizable pay gap in sports that are played by men and women. During the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Bafana Bafana earned more than R2 million for just participating, but their women counterparts were only promised R1.1 million but managed to play in the Round of 16. This resulted in Banyana Banyana refusing to play the send-of game against Botswana. The team demanded that they needed a better stadium and the government’s support and commitment to the team’s welfare, the working staff, better health conditions, and transparency and accountability in terms of the contract signing. In contrast, Uganda received a lot of flak when they decided to not send their under-20 female soccer team to the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. It brought up numerous concerns about the government’s role in supporting women’s sports in Africa.

Prejudices, Cultural Biases, and Gender Discrimination

Prejudices and cultural biases can uphold the idea that women’s sports are less thrilling, competitive, or valuable than men’s sports. These prejudices can affect the decisions taken by media organizations, for instance, the IOL released a statement that the South African Broadcasting Corporation had no money to purchase the broadcasting rights to broadcast the 2019 Women’s FIFA World Cup in France, whereas the 2018 Men’s FIFA World Cup never had this problem. The decision of not to permit transgender and intersex athletes to compete has drawn criticism from several organizations, who charge that the Global Athletics president gave in to political forces rather than upholding its basic values, which included inclusivity, diversity, fairness, and non-discrimination to athletes who identify as transgender and who are intersex.

Conclusion

Sports can and should be a place where everyone, regardless of gender identification or cultural expectations, may achieve and strive. Challenging traditional gender ideologies in sports is the first step towards creating a more inclusive and equal playing ground. By collaboratively breaking down these barriers, we can build a sports atmosphere in which everyone feels accepted, appreciated, and free to pursue their athletic goals.