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With the growth of women’s sports and its increasing popularity, it is unacceptable that our women athletes do not always experience the same levels of professionalisation and payment in their respective sports as men do, writes Anroux Marais.
2023 will be a bumper year for sporting events in the Western Cape, particularly for our women athletes. The Western Cape government is proud to bring several large sporting events, especially women's events, to residents of the province.
In the first two months of the year already, we have hosted the Netball Quad series, the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup and the Women's International Ice Hockey Championships in Cape Town. The high attendance numbers at these events, especially the record-breaking crowd at Newlands for the final of the T20 Cricket World Cup, is testimony to the fact that women's sport is well supported in our province and country, and it is growing.
With the growth of women’s sports and its increasing popularity, it is unacceptable that our women athletes do not always experience the same levels of professionalisation and payment in their respective sports as men do.
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Our Momentum Proteas made history by being the first South African team to reach the final of a World Cup, but this is not reflected in the amounts they are paid or the level of support they receive from the national sports department, arts and culture and sponsors. We are at grave risk of losing our top players as they seek better payment with more resourced overseas franchises.
Inspiration and role model
A survey by Neilsen showed that 84% of sports fans are interested in women’s sport and that at least two-thirds of the population are interested in at least one women’s sport. Women athletes serve as an important inspiration and role model for many of our young women – seeing someone who looks like you excelling in their sporting code - gives other young women the impetus to try. But beyond the competitive side of sport, young girls develop confidence in themselves and the power of their bodies through sport. In a society that is wrecked by violence against women and children, sport opens up many avenues for our young women.
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If we are to truly fulfil the ideals and values of our Constitution we must prioritise the equal treatment of and professionalisation of women’s sport. We should not have situations where women athletes cannot practice their sport full-time because they have to take a second job to ensure they receive a sustainable income. If we want to see our women competing on the international playing fields and growing tomorrow’s women sports' stars, then the responsibility lies with us to give them the support to get there. The Western Cape government demonstrates our commitment through significant funding and support for women's sporting events.
As we look towards the hosting of the Netball World Cup in July this year, we must use that as impetus to offer our women athletes competitive chances. Our netball players need financial and other support to assist them in competing against teams from countries where women athletes have long been getting equal chances to their male counterparts. Until we can offer our women these same incentives, we will find it difficult to compete on the global stage.
2023 is truly the year of women’s sports –we demand equal treatment and salaries for our women in sports.
- Anroux Marais is the Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport.
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