Half of women face sexist abuse while playing sports, poll finds

'You throw like a girl'

The poll, which questioned 3,000 sports players, shows that many women receive insults such as 'they throw like a girl', 'they look like a man' or are 'not strong enough'.

It also found that comments included being told they weren't as good at sports as men (42%), or that women in sport were inferior or 'soft' (32%).

According to the poll, the main source of unwanted comments stemmed from male strangers on the street (47%) and other male athletes (42%), as well as male coaches (36%).

Dr Pallavi Bradshaw, deputy chief medical officer at AXA Health Insurance, which commissioned the research, said: "It can be a lose-lose situation for women sometimes.

"Despite the progress which has been made to improve access to women’s sport, the research shows there’s still a long way to go to making sport an equal playing field for all.

"Comments about physical ability or derogatory statements about gender have no place in sport or exercise."

Results also show other hurdles women in sports face, with 39% saying their participation in sport was impacted negatively by menstrual health and 29% reporting low energy levels.

Olympian Sam Quek, gold medallist for Team GB at the Rio Olympics in women's hockey, shared how difficult it is for women to speak up about this inequality: "Speak up and you’re difficult – stay quiet, and you’re weak.

"As a woman in sport, I’ve experienced and also heard a number of insults, problems and accusations.

"'Oh she’s hormonal, oh she’s on her period, she throws like a girl, she’s not strong enough' – the list is endless.

"One area in women’s sport which I have loved to see evolve is the menstrual cycle and women’s periods, because whether you like it or not, it does affect sporting performance.

"We are not using it as an excuse, we just needed a greater understanding," the Olympian concluded.

It seems that 78% agree with Sam Quek, claiming that female sportswomen don't get the credit they deserve, even though 94% of parents consider it important to set a good example to kids with regards to exercise.

Unfortunately, 58% who have experienced sexist abuse admitted it made them consider quitting sports.

A large majority (88%) believe coaches, officials, spectators and those in the sporting community altogether need to do more to put a stop to sexist abuse.

This includes speaking out when they see abuse (74%), promoting equal opportunities (64%), and giving praise to women when they deserve it (56%).

Dr Bradshaw went on to say: "Sport and exercise – from running to rugby, lacrosse to lifting weights – can have huge benefits both physically and mentally, and help keep bones, joints and muscles healthy as we age.

"It’s important we ensure that women are treated fairly, so we need to normalise flexing training plans to suit women’s needs, such as using the stages of the menstrual cycle to benefit training.

"We know that certain stages of the cycle women can feel more fatigued, but there are stages where they might feel stronger, too – so they can use this to their advantage. Women menstruating are also more likely to suffer injuries, so this should be factored into training plans.

"And as female athletes get older, we need to ensure they have the confidence to challenge expectations and reset their own priorities to find what works best for them, rather than giving up entirely."

Sam Quek added: "Sport for me is magical. It’s for everyone. To any female involved in sport who has been told they’re too much – you’re not, you’re you. And to any female who has been told we’re not enough, we are enough."