International research

As part of our ambition to grow a thriving sporting system both in the UK and internationally, UK Sport regularly commissions research to understand how we can best influence and support positive change.

Analysis of career pathways of British postholders in international sport governance (Interim Report - November 2022)

Women currently make up 37% of all British senior postholders in international sports organisations. While this is well ahead of the 22% global average for women on boards across all Olympic and Paralympic international federations (as of June 2021), it’s still a long way off the commitment UK Sport has made to achieve 50% British female representation as part of our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

To help us achieve this goal, we commissioned new research to examine the pathways that British women and men have taken to achieve roles on committees or boards of international sports organisations. The main purpose of the research is to identify if there are gendered differences in these pathways and provide insight which can inform future actions to address the gender imbalance in international representation in leadership.

Research methodology

In part one of the project, the research team from the University of Chichester and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology conducted an online survey of British international postholders.

Key findings

On average, female postholders were younger, more likely to have caring or parental responsibilities, and more likely to have a university education or elite athlete experience. This suggests that women potentially needed more qualifications or experience to achieve the same roles as men.
Multiple women shared experiences of gender discrimination and marginalisation, and all were using individual strategies to overcome this, such as doing their work ‘under the radar’, working extra hard to earn respect of men, or ‘bullying their way in’. This means that women are placing the burden on themselves to challenge a culture of gender discrimination rather than finding support from those in positions of power.
A greater percentage of women than men cited their personal motivation, experience in governance and their sporting achievements as the key factors that helped them achieve their first international role. A greater percentage of men than women attributed their success to their networking skills and support from their international federations.

This suggests that many women already have the skills and experience they need to be successful but need more opportunities to build their network and reputation within their sport’s international federation. Previous research has shown that leadership training programmes can have a positive impact on representation, but this new data suggests that these programmes need to operate as part of a holistic approach that also looks at the culture of organisations and the ways they identify and support future leaders.

The report also provided some baseline demographic data for British international postholders, and found that people from ethnically diverse communities and disabled people were significantly underrepresented across both genders. Out of 55 survey respondents, 54 identified as white and only 7% were disabled.

What next?

Addressing these disparities will be a key focus of UK Sport’s ongoing work to support future British international postholders through programmes like the International Leadership Programme.

This is a two-part study, and the interim report on part one is now available to download below;

Career pathways report

This file is published by a third party organisation and may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Alternatively, download our key research insights infographic for a visual summary of the findings;

Insights infographic

Is gender on the international agenda? Gender representation and policy in international sport governance (June 2021)

In 2021, we commissioned a report by the University of Chichester and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology into female representation in international sports governance.

Research methodology

The research study reviewed the leadership of 60 international federations and international sports organisations. In addition it also examined six different kinds of gender and governance actions that international federations and international sports organisations have used to promote gender equality: gender targets, gender quotas, election and recruitment rules, gender- or equality-focused groups, official documents and women’s leadership development programmes.

Key findings

The research found that women continue to be significantly underrepresented – and that a more nuanced approach may be needed to achieve greater progress toward gender equality. The report found that of the federations and organisations surveyed, women made up only:

22% of members of boards or executive committees
7% of presidents or chairs
21% of CEOs or secretary generals

Overall, most federations and organisations were taking action to address inequality, with 70% implementing gender quotas and 63% having a gender- or equality-focused group.  However, the report also found some federations and organisations implementing very limited or no form of gender and governance action. 

As a result of the analysis, the report concluded that it was the nature, rather than the prevalence, of these actions that mattered most – and in fact, some types of action could actually be counterproductive. Some of the other key insights from the research include:

Quotas or targets for female representation only worked if they included rules for implementation or sanctions for non-compliance. Federations and organisations with quotas (without rules) had on average 1% fewer women in leadership than those without quotas. This compared to 5% more women in leadership if those quotas had rules for implementation.
Federations and organisations that hosted or supported women to attend a Women’s Leadership Development Programme had 7% more women in leadership.
Federations and organisations with very poor female representation (15% or fewer) were more likely to have a women’s committee but less likely to give that committee status or power and had fewer men participating. This suggests that committees on their own were unlikely to lead to greater gender equality, and may in fact make change less likely.

What next?

The report concluded that gender and governance actions alone will not lead to change. Actions must be ambitious, process-driven and embedded across an organisation and its strategy, with senior leaders actively championing and engaged in efforts to promote gender equality and committed to their implementation.

The full report is available to download below;

Gender representation report