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Is being too young bad for kids playing sports?

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Is being too young bad for kids playing sports?

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We believe in ensuring that women and girls have equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits of sport through tackling sexism in sport at every level. This includes challenging explicit cases of discrimination and harassment as well as addressing the underlying barriers to equality.

Elite sport continues to set men and women apart. The men's decathlon has been contested at every Olympics since 1912 but there is still no place at major championships for the women's event. While men play five sets at Tennis Grand Slams, women can only compete over three sets.

We also see significant gender gaps when we look at the number of women participating in sport. In fact, the gender gap is bigger than it has ever been since reporting began. In team sport, 7% more men than women play, and there is a shocking 22% gap between girls and boys. We also see clear gender gaps when we look at the number of women working in sport at every level. Women are a minority in coaching, especially at an elite level. A recent count of leaders in the top 20 sports by participation in England showed that across the roles of CEO, Chair and Performance Director, just 23% were women.

We work to ensure equality of opportunity by focussing on getting more women and girls participating in sport, more women working in sport at every level and by driving commercial investment in and media coverage of women's sport. We also work to ensure that women and girls who do engage with sport receive equal respect to their male counterparts.

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We believe in ensuring that women and girls have equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits of sport through tackling sexism in sport at every level. This includes challenging explicit cases of...

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Pay for Play: Should College Athletes Be Compensated?

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Grinding through grueling workouts, practices and games every day of the year, combined with rigorous college courses, student-athletes are some of the hardest working people in the country…

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One gymnasts story about her battle with an eating disorder

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One gymnasts story about her battle with an eating disorder

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I have always been entranced by gymnasts: they are agile and strong, graceful and confident, fluid and fierce. Come the summer Olympics, I am always eager to see the gymnasts tumble, flip, twirl, and seemingly defy gravity. As a dancer, I understand that more work goes into making a routine look effortless, and I also know that what we see in a performance isn't the whole story. Gymnasts are athletes and artists, and their bodies are their instrument.

In 1998, Vanessa Atler, a gymnast from Southern California, appeared to be indispensable for the 2000 Olympic games in Sydney. She was a go-getter and displayed a talent on the vault and floor that was rare, which is why, when she didn't make the US team at the Olympic trials, people were shocked. Leading up to the trials, Atler had been struggling with changing gyms, trainers, and an injury. This injury prevented her from training as she normally had. Her coach didn't know how to deal with the change in Atler's body and "freaked out," causing Atler to focus on her weight more than she ever had and stress about how the change in her weight would affect her performance. Recently, Atler has been speaking out about her battle with an eating disorder that developed while dealing with these major obstacles, including the treatment she and other gymnasts received from their coaches.

Unfortunately, eating disorders, self-esteem, and body image issues are no stranger to the realm of gymnastics. Atler, who is now a gymnastics coach in California, has gained a fair amount of perspective and wisdom from her battle with her eating disorder and body image during her career. When it came to her recovery, she turned to her support system. When asked about her recovery, Atler said, "I knew what I was doing was wrong, so what helped me was finding people who I knew loved me for who I was, and were not judging me based off of my weight."

To say the least, recovery is no easy feat. It's a constant battle, but survivors often come out stronger and they learn a lot about themselves during their journey. Atler said she "learned to love [herself] and be okay with being a certain weight." While she is recovered from her bulimia, she still battles issues with self-esteem and weight.

Now that she is a gymnastics coach, Atler is sharing her story and experiences with young athletes, not just about technique and form, but about body positivity and eating disorder awareness as well. Atler believes in "leading through example, teaching about nutrition, energy, and never mentioning weight, being proud of our bodies and the different shapes is important." What has been the most rewarding aspect of coaching has been "being able to help in the process of [the gymnasts] becoming strong, beautiful women," says Atler.

There have been major changes in the world of gymnastics since Atler's time. Specifically when it comes to more body acceptance and inclusivity in the sport, Atler says, "as the sport has become more knowledgeable in these issues, so have the coaches. It is still out there, but I believe it is progressing. I just wish it was faster." What can still be done? Atler suggests having coaches get rid of the scales as she believes they are "detrimental to the sport."

There is a fine line between being healthy and disordered eating. In sports and any performance art, it is important to remember that the size of your body does not determine your worth and your value. Atler believes that "health is number one. If you cannot find people who can support and bring you confidence in yourself, then leave." No one deserves to be picked apart or scrutinized for their appearance, whether it's in a sport or daily life. As an athlete, it's important to be kind to your body and to take care of it, but part of that is the way you speak about your body. It is just as important to fuel your body with care and love as it is to fuel it up for an type of performance.

Having Atler share her story has been absolutely incredible. It's difficult enough to speak out about eating disorders and issues with weight, body image and self-esteem, but to also call attention to a greater issue in a sport is extremely brave. Change begins with awareness and a discussion, and Atler is contributing to that discussion by being so honest and open.

Thank you to Vanessa for taking the time to share your story with us.
Grace Bradley is a senior at Connecticut College majoring in dance and sociology. Working with the Active Minds chapter at Conn College and NEDA, she is an advocate of mental health and eating disorder awareness after personally dealing with both. Grace is dedicated to raising awareness about both of these issues, specifically within the dance community.

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Former American Elite Gymnast Vanessa Atler Speaks Out About Eating Disorder

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I have always been entranced by gymnasts: they are agile and strong, graceful and confident, fluid and fierce. Come the summer Olympics, I am always eager to see the gymnasts tumble, flip, twirl, and seemingly defy gravity.

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The world has engaged in a love affair with women's gymnastics since the 1970s. It began with Olga Korbut taking center stage in the '72 Olympics, followed in '76 by Nadia Comaneci executing moves never before seen on the uneven parallel bars and balance beam. Mary Lou Retton captured America's hearts just as she captured the gold in the '84 Olympics.

With spectacular feats of daring, fresh-faced competitors and glittering uniforms, what's not to love? Especially in today's sedentary culture where childhood obesity is nearly epidemic, what could be more positive than young girls participating in wholesome athletics?

Speaking of girls, ever notice how incredibly young these gymnasts are? That's no coincidence. Back in the 1960s, after Soviet gymnasts had astounded the world with highly disciplined and difficult performances, international competitions began to ramp up in intensity. This led coaches to look for younger and younger children who had not yet developed a normal fear response. It was only these fearless girls who could be trained to perform daring, very possibly dangerous, routines. The same holds true today.

Returning to the question: what could possibly be wrong with girls participating in gymnastics at a high level? Only one thing: the possible advent of an eating disorder. Generally, athletes across the board are at a higher risk for developing an eating disorder than non-athletes; specifically, females in any sport, and especially in a sport such as gymnastics, are at the highest risk. In a 1992 NCAA survey, 51% of the gymnastics programs that responded reported eating disorders among its team members, a far greater percentage than in any other sport.[1]

Several factors conspire to make gymnastics a sport rife with eating disorders. Certain sports are strictly performance-based. Sports such as archery or weight lifting care not in the least what a competitor looks like. Not so with sports such as ice skating, ballet, dance, and certainly gymnastics, which requires a certain body type and weight. Success in this arena tends to be equally appearance-based as performance-based. A girl must be thin to win; this need only increases as she moves closer to competing at an elite level, such as in the Olympics.

Another factor is that gymnastics is a judged sport. In other athletic competitions, the man who crosses the finish line first, or the woman who racks up the highest score at the end of the game, wins; not so with gymnastics. Because certain aspects of judging can be subjective, appearance becomes even more important. The pressure for physical perfection is enormous.

Research indicates that female athletes in judged sports have a 13 percent prevalence of eating disorders, compared to just 3 percent in the general population.[1]

Another factor is the close relationship a girl has with her coach. Coaches are often male and can be strict and demanding. In an effort to ensure a competitive edge, they may instruct girls to lose weight, teach them how to diet, tell them what they can and cannot eat. Routine weigh-ins become the norm.

Gymnastics, as with most sports, is extremely competitive. If a girl is highly perfectionistic and achievement oriented, she is a good candidate for anorexia to take hold. This is particularly the case as young female competitors approach puberty. A sport so inextricably linked to small, firm, lean bodies is contrary to a womanly form defined by developing breasts and rounded hips.

Whereas most young girls in American culture eagerly anticipate the advent of puberty and the physical changes it inspires, a female gymnast might fear it because it could signal the end of her competitive career. Therefore, she might turn to starvation to negate normal maturation. Of course, what she probably doesn't know, and might disregard if she did, is that ongoing starvation leads to countless medical complications, even death usually due to heart failure. Cathy Rigby, famous gymnast and eating disorder sufferer, experienced cardiac arrest twice.

There are two primary reasons why an athlete gets caught up in bulimia. To maintain a low weight, she might start with severe restricting, which does accomplish the desired result for a long period of time. However, starvation is exactly that: the body is slowly dying from lack of food. Even the "best" anorexic can lose control and succumb to a binge. The self-disgust felt by this loss of control and the hated caloric intake are compensated for through purging. Just as anorexia worked initially, bulimia now achieves the desired effect.

The second reason for embracing bulimia is due to the incredible pressure placed on these young athletes. Bulimia is the quintessential example of an eating disorder being involved with feelings, not food. The constant stress of competing, the pressure to win, the hopes and dreams of so many riding on her, and her alone to take them to the next level. Some girls will turn to bingeing and purging to cope with the emotional turmoil. While consuming huge quantities of food, she is not worried about the next competition, how she will perform, how the officials will rate her efforts, she is focused only on the food. Then, the subsequent purge is actually stress-reducing and results in a feeling of calm, which is to a large degree, what she craves. Just like anorexia, bulimia is addictive and can result in long-term medical complications and can prove fatal.

Regardless of whether a girl struggles with anorexia or bulimia, recovery is possible, especially if she is young and the eating disorder is relatively new. Yet, though weight may be restored and health regained, serious thought must be given to when or if she will return to training or competition.

One factor is her motivation. Does she want to return to competition due to a real love of the sport, or is pressure being applied by a coach, teammates or even family members? Just because a girl is highly skilled in gymnastics doesn't mean she must compete, especially if it is to fulfill another person's dreams.

It is important to know, however, that with the right treatment team, support from parents and coaches, a girl can return to gymnastics, this time with her health and future intact.

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Eating Disorders in Female Gymnasts: The Spotlight on a Dark Shadow

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The world has engaged in a love affair with women's gymnastics since the 1970s. It began with Olga Korbut taking center stage in the '72 Olympics, followed in '76 by Nadia Comaneci executing moves never before seen on the uneven parallel bars and balance beam.

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Richard Lapchick, Contributing Writer, ESPN.comJan 3, 2019, 10:09 AM ET

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American leader of the sports boycott of South Africa from 1975 until the end of apartheid

Chair of the DeVos Sport Business Management Graduate Program at the University of Central Florida

Author of 16 books and the annual Racial and Gender Report Card

Directs UCF's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport

Director of the National Consortium for Academics and Sport

In 2018 we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Tommie Smith and John Carlos protesting on the medal stand at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, one of the first global instances of athlete activism. However, despite being a half-century removed from that watershed moment in Mexico, we still saw many racist incidents worldwide.

The positive legacy of 2018 was the continued rise of athlete activism. Colin Kaepernick became the face of Nike's newest "Just Do It" advertisement, despite not being signed by an NFL team. Fellow activist Eric Reid was signed by the Panthers in September but claimed he became the subject of an inordinate amount of drugs tests, which he considered harassment. LeBron James used his platform to speak out against rhetoric and policies coming out of Washington. James also opened his I Promise School in Akron, Ohio, to help encourage young people to get an education. In addition, many athletes spoke up during the midterm elections, and several former professional athletes were elected to office in November.

There were small battles won and lost in the fight against racism. The Cleveland Indians announced they would remove the Chief Wahoo image from all uniforms, despite the organization continuing to sell merchandise with the logo. And the NFL team in Washington stood pat and continues to use its highly controversial nickname that I, like many others, consider racist.

For every battle won, it seems like 10 more instances of racism occurred around the world this past year. The University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport recorded 52 acts of racism in sports in the United States in 2018, up from 41 in 2017. Internationally, there were 137 instances of racism in sports in 2018, a sharp increase from the 79 acts of racism in 2017.

Russia, the host of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, was charged with fan racism nearly two months prior to the tournament starting, as fans directed "monkey chants" at players on the French national team. In a separate incident in a league game, fans chanted Nazi slogans.

Racial abuse by Russian soccer fans increased in anticipation of the World Cup to the point where players, such as England's Danny Rose, told their families not to attend the tournament because of the risk of being subject to racial slurs and abuse.

In order to combat racism at World Cup games, FIFA gave referees the authority to pause play and ask for racist chants or actions to stop, suspend the match if racist chanting persisted, and finally, as a last resort, abandon the match. To more closely monitor the fans in attendance, all matches had three anti-discrimination observers in the crowds. Despite these steps, FIFA added that a yellow card would be assessed to any players who left the pitch because of racist chants, risking ejection for the entire team from the competition. It's a policy that seemed to echo Fox News host Laura Ingraham when she told James to "shut up and dribble."

More recently, Raheem Sterling of Manchester City was the target of racist remarks from fans during a match against Chelsea. Sterling went on to speak out against these acts of racism and against the treatment of young black soccer players, which Nike applauded with this tweet:

Speaking up doesn't always make life easier. But easy never changed anything. @sterling7 pic.twitter.com/sFZHeMo5s4
- Nike Football (@nikefootball) December 15, 2018

Chelsea F.C. has been in the news several times during the year, as two former coaches were investigated at the beginning of 2018 for allegations of racism from the 1990s against black players.

To combat the rise in racism experienced by football players in England, the FA adopted its own version of the NFL's "Rooney Rule," requiring at least "one candidate from a Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) background" to be interviewed for open positions. These rules, although created with good intentions, are unlikely to prevent further racist comments and actions by spectators and fellow competitors as they do not require teams to hire diverse individuals, just to interview them.

One potential reason we have seen racist incidents in sports increase over the past several years is that those in high political office in the U.S. and throughout the world are not reprimanded for making offensive statements regarding minority groups. A lack of accountability while holding our leaders to the highest standards has emboldened many people to lash out with hateful speech and actions. This pattern has been amplified and well documented since the 2016 presidential election.

In January, the predominately black men's and women's basketball teams from Labette Community College in Parsons, Kansas, visited North Arkansas College. They were met with "monkey noises and crow caws." Harrison, Arkansas -- where North Arkansas College is located -- is, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the national headquarters of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and was profiled as the "most racist town in America."

After Florida State's loss to in-state rival Florida in November, a man posted an image of FSU coach Willie Taggart being lynched in the Facebook group Florida State Football. Taggart is the first black head football coach in FSU's history. The image was later condemned by the school's president and the man who posted the image was fired from his job. The Florida State Attorney for the Second Judicial Circuit announced there would be further investigation into the incident.

Several incidents point to the sobering conclusion that our children are learning how to hate. It frightens me to see our next generation of leaders participating in and instigating acts of racism against their fellow students. In October, bananas were left in the locker room of an Ohio high school football team and were thrown at players during the game. A month earlier in Louisville, students at a football game passed around and smashed a watermelon in the stands while their high school played a predominately black team. In both these situations, school administrations said the acts were common practices at these events and not instances of racial abuse. The NAACP investigated the incident in Louisville and were surprised to learn that students of color participated and played a key role, which "highlights the need for more cultural understanding."

At the beginning of the year, the Cincinnati Premier Youth Basketball League ejected a team from Kings Mill from the league after finding sexist and racist names on the back of the children's jerseys, including "coon" and "knee grow." Unfortunately, it took the league three weeks to discipline the team, which had played with those jerseys for the first four weeks of the season.

Closing out 2018, Andrew Johnson, a high school wrestler from Buena, New Jersey, was subject to what was widely perceived as racial abuse from a referee who told him to either cut off his dreadlocks or forfeit his match. This incident went viral, with many people calling the young man a "team player," not recognizing the torment he was put through. Hair is a large component of the black identity, and to be stripped of that identity in front of coaches, teammates and parents who did nothing but sit back and watch is reminiscent of the indifference by everyone present to the inspection black men and women who were purchased at slave auctions.

In 2019, we need to see more athletes using their voice and platform to speak out against racism, sexism and the current political state of our country. I am grateful that so many are now. However, it is sobering to realize that athlete activists are speaking out, at least partially, in reaction to things they and others have experienced regarding their gender, ethnicity, race or religion. Although instances of racism increased across the world last year, I am hopeful that we can continue to learn about and support those who are different from us, and try to erase bigotry and hate in our world. If our children are learning how to hate, we can teach them how to love again.
Meaghan Coleman made significant contributions to this column. Richard E. Lapchick is the chair of the DeVos Sport Business Management Graduate Program at the University of Central Florida. Lapchick also directs UCF's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, is the author of 17 books and the annual Racial and Gender Report Card, and is the president of the Institute for Sport and Social Justice. He has been a regular commentator for ESPN.com on issues of diversity in sport. Follow him on Twitter @richardlapchick and on Facebook.

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While athlete activism was on the rise in 2018, it was out of necessity in another year filled with incidents of racism in sports.

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8 Times Women in Sports Fought for Equality (Published 2019)

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All 28 players on the U.S. women’s soccer team filed a gender discrimination lawsuit on Friday. They are the latest athletes to insist on equal treatment from their sport.

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Even though in 2015 the FIFA Women's World Cup Final between the US and Japan was the most-watched soccer game in US history with over 25 million viewers, female athletes still face harassment and discrimination in sports.

Around 40% of sports participants are women and yet they receive about 4% of sports media coverage. These numbers say a lot about the gender discrimination and its presence in sports. Due to the women's games schedule (their games are scheduled for less desirable times) and their games barely discussed in the media, women earn much less than their male counterparts.

Another issue for female athletes is how they are perceived by the public. While men who play professional sports are seen as heroes living and breathing their game, women are firstly seen as mothers or wives and then as professional athletes. Additionally, women are often objectified and sexualized, and media put much more attention to their looks than to their skills.

But we cannot say that gender stereotypes in sports do not affect men. For example, male athletes who practice "feminine" sports like figure skating and dance at a young age are often victims of bulling. This is happening because of the society's expectation that men are supposed to be tall, big and muscular, so anyone who doesn't fit their imagination can be discriminated.

How can this issue be solved?

First of all we should all support women's and girls' sports. It is very important to attend women's sports games, to watch their games on television, to follow them on social media and to encourage women and girls to take part in any sport they are interested in.

Another important thing is to develop gender equity policies in order to give women equal participation opportunities, financial aid, wages and benefits as their male counterparts.

The sexist language in communications should be avoided which means that when describing both female and male athletes' performances the same language should be used.

What can also help in combating gender discrimination in sports is establishing a whistle blower program which can encourage anonymous discrimination and harassment complaints.

Last but not least, hiring more female sports executives, encouraging women to pursue sports careers, whether as coaches, trainers etc., can also push sports towards gender equity.
Racial discrimination in sports
In 2018, 52 instances of racial discrimination in sports were recorded only in US, while internationally 137 racist acts were noted.

Nobody is immune to racism. Example of this is the most successful basketball player, Even LeBron James, whose house was vandalized with racial slurs the night before the NBA Finals in 2017.

In some sports, such as tennis and golf, minority athletes are not as welcomed as others. This is happens because these sports are often played at paid clubs, so the socio-economic barriers may keep minority athletes away.

What are the solutions to this issue?

Introducing a zero-tolerance racism policy will help to make it clear that any form of racial discrimination is not welcomed.

Encouraging and supporting athletes, who have experienced or witnessed it, to speak up about this issue can also help.

It is also very important to include minority athletes, as well as immigrants, in the team and to choose the players according to their performances, not their race.
Religious discrimination in sports
This kind of discrimination can take many forms. It can be direct, like being harassed by opponents and/or teammates, but it can also be indirect, like not accommodating each player's religious needs, which can be equally harmful as the first one.

There are many things that can cause religious discrimination in sports. For example, Jewish athletes can't play a game on a Saturday, while some Muslim athletes are not allowed to mix with athletes from the opposite gender, which also includes staff and/or spectator.

Another thing that can cause problems is the sports uniforms. Some athletes may not feel comfortable wearing uniform with sponsor logos that are not according to their beliefs (e.g. alcohol, tobacco etc.), or for some the uniforms can be too revealing.

However, most of these problems can be avoided by asking the player how to accommodate them instead of making assumption about the situation.

How to resolve this issue?

One solution can be to reschedule games and practices, when possible, so that all players can take part.

Breaks during games and practices for religious observation can also make players feel accepted by the team, additionally when athletes are fasting and cannot drink water you can help them by giving them cold, wet towels to help them cool down.

If some athletes' religions not allow them to mix with the opposite gender, in that case you can run single-gender or closed-to the public games.

Also, allow athletes to cover their heads or bodies if that is what their religious beliefs require it.
Disability discrimination in sports
One of the least talked forms of discrimination in sports is the disability discrimination. It is maybe because people do not want to do some extra work in order to accommodate the athletes with disabilities, so they rather leave them out and decide not to talk about it.

When it comes to including these athletes, and having in mind the inclusion spectrum, there are many things that sports organizations need to provide them. But this does not mean that there is nothing to be done for these athletes.

So, here are some of the solutions to this problem.

First of all it is very important to create disability-friendly sports teams where they will be given a chance to play a game that is according to their needs.

Making modifications in the teaching style, rules, equipment and environment of a sport can make it more accessible for these athletes. Additionally to this, offering non-playing roles in the organization, like coach, referee, volunteer etc., can be also useful for those athletes with disabilities who cannot participate in an activity.

Accessible sports facilities are very much needed for these athletes, so installing ramps or equipment with Braille on the buttons can be very useful for them.

What can also prevent these athletes from joining a sports organization are the finances, so financial solutions can just encourage them not to give up on their dreams.
LGBTQ discrimination in sports
It is not rare LGBTQ athletes to be victims of physical abuse, cyberbullying, verbal threats and exclusion from sports organizations. They often face with homophobic jokes or slurs made by their teammates, opponents and spectators.

One example that testifies for the presence of homophobia in sports is when the former Penn State women's basketball coach Rene Portland told the Chicago Sun-Times in 1986 that she would not include homosexuals in her program.

Later on she verbally abused all the players who she suspected were lesbians. She was sued in 2005 for discrimination.

And this is only one example of LGBTQ discrimination in sports. Unfortunately even after many years this problem is still not solved.

But these are some things that can be done to diminish the problem with this type of discrimination.

Implementing training programs in order to teach the players and the staff how to avoid discrimination in sports.

Including LGBTQ in the harassment policy can show the players and the staff that it is unacceptable to harass someone based on their sexuality or gender identity.

Anti-homophobia campaigns and offering LGBTQ information on the organizations' website or social media profiles are always welcomed to support LGBTQ athletes.
Photo by: Digital Sport

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Different types of discrimination in sports and how to solve them

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Even though in 2015 the FIFA Women's World Cup Final between the US and Japan was the most-watched soccer game in US history with over 25 million viewers, female athletes still face harassment and discrimination in sports. Around 40% of sports participants are women and yet they receive about 4% of sports media coverage.