By Andreas Themistokleous, Contributor
This article could have been simple: “If she can’t see it, she can’t be it.” But the message deserves more space.
In February 2018, UNESCO highlighted the lack of fair coverage for women’s sports. Only 4% of sports media focuses on female athletes, and just 12% of sports news is presented by women. Media often fixates on female athletes’ looks or family life instead of their achievements. For example, during the 2016 Rio Olympics, 79% of reports on Islamic fencer Ms. Mohamad focused on her hijab, not her medal.
The Federation of Irish Sport launched a campaign in 2018 with the slogan, “If she can’t see it, she can’t be it.” The goal: change how people view women’s sports and celebrate it as strong and valuable.
Role models matter. Girls need to see confident, accomplished women in sports to believe they can succeed too. A 2013 study by The Glass Hammer and Accenture found that 83.3% of women aiming for leadership had role models.
Research by Women in Sport and the Youth Sport Trust in 2018 revealed that girls lose interest in physical activity as early as age seven. Only 56% saw physical activity as important, compared to 71% of boys.
Female sport role models help girls resist pressure focused on appearance. They inspire confidence, work ethic, leadership, and teamwork. Successful female athletes also show the importance of education alongside sports.
Using female athletes as role models encourages young girls to develop skills, build character, and aim higher. With social media’s influence and isolation, positive role models are more important than ever.
To build role models, host events where female athletes share their stories. Pair young girls with athlete mentors. Promote media coverage of female sports. Encourage leaders in all fields to support and praise female athletes. Remember, not every successful athlete is a good role model—be honest about that too.
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Andreas T. Themistocleous (BSc, MA, MBA) is a native of Famagusta, Cyprus. He is a former basketball player, a NCAA Division I student-athlete and now a sports management/business professional. He has served in the sport industry from several positions, most notably in club football management, as a Board member of sport federations and as lecturer in academia. He is currently in the sports services industry. To connect and network with Andreas, find him on Twitter and LinkedIn.