Rubiales case returns to the scene: 'It is only the tip of the iceberg of sexism in sports'

The director of European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), Carlien Scheelepointed out this Thursday that the non-consensual kiss of the former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) Luis Rubiales to the player Jenni Hermoso After the 2023 World Cup final in Australia and Nueva Z is “the tip of the iceberg” of gender inequality in sport.

“The slogan 'it's over' showed that women had had enough of sexism and harassment, and it also showed the tip of the iceberg, because gender inequality in sport is far from being new,” said Carlien Scheele during his intervention at an event in European Parliament in Brussels on the occasion of International Women's Day (March 8).

The director stated immediately afterwards in an interview with EFE that it was “very good” that this event came to light “for awareness-raising purposes” in the media. “At first there was silence, but suddenly it exploded. To me it looked like a fire that lights up slightly, starts to burn, and suddenly it's everywhere,” Scheele explained.

The director of the European agency highlighted that “the biggest problem that exists” when it comes to achieving gender equality in sport is “the lack of data” in order to “really understand the state of affairs in this area.”

Scheele stated that they already know some figures regarding the number of women in executive positions, which are not positive since “in the best of cases” there are only 30% of women in decision-making positions in the EU or in the national sports federations but, however, more data is necessary on the wage gap and gender violence in sports.

The director stressed that, although the pay imbalance between women and men affects all areas of society, “after what we have seen today” the question is “whether this pay gap in sport is not even greater than the EU average.” .

On the eve of 8M, MEPs and national parliamentarians met with gender equality experts in an event organized by the commission ofe Women's Rights and Gender Equality and the Interparliamentary commission of the European Parliament to debate the role of women in sport.

In the same quote, the Polish socialist MEP and president of the Women's commission, Robert Biedron, stated, also in reference to the case Rubialesthat the 2023 Women's World Cup final was “tainted by sexual harassment” and also mentioned the abuse scandals in American gymnastics.

The president of Parliament, Roberta Metsola, who spoke through a video message, highlighted that it is necessary to “create ways so that women can be excellent throughout their sporting career” and that it is necessary to have “more sporting women and more feminine references.”

“When we enter the field of play, we are constantly dismantling stereotypes, in an area that is considered traditionally masculine,” the former Swedish soccer player and Olympian said during the debate. Pia Sundhagewhich influenced the “undervaluation” of female athletes in the media.

Along the same lines, the Belgian Olympic judoka Charline Van Snick He highlighted that “despite the great movement in women's sports, only 9% of Belgian audiovisual media show women's sports when the Olympic team has 50% women.”

The Popular Party senator Nidia Arévalo, the socialist senator and president of the Alava Cycling Federation Julia Liberal and the Spanish deputy Alma Alfonso also participated in the debate.

SPORTS

With information from EFE.

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