Black girls being failed by sport, report says

Charity Women in Sport has urged sport’s leaders to do more for young black girls.

They “fall out of love” with sport in their teens, according to the report, and girls from other backgrounds face more challenges than girls from other backgrounds.

In the UK, twice as many black girls as white girls are dreaming of becoming elite athletes, according to a recent report from the charity, but black girls are the least likely to do so.

According to the report, 48% of black girls who were adolescented do not enjoy playing sports because of issues like racism, misogyny, and rigid sporting structures.

Tessa Sanderson, a Women in Sport ambassador and the women’s javelin gold medalist for Great Britain at the 1984 Olympics, describes the study as “truly heartbreaking.”

Sanderson continued, “We must create a culture that lifts black girls, not one that excludes them.”

The charity calls for “urgent action” from sports industry leaders, coaches, and policymakers, including better representation of black women in all of their organizations.

Other suggestions include: educating paid and volunteer staff about diversity, implementing anti-racism and anti-misogyny policies, collecting and using data on gender and ethnicity participation, expanding community initiatives, and giving black girls’ additional needs more flexibility in their talent paths.

There is no denying the benefits that playing sports can bring to the sport, according to Stephanie Hilborne, chief executive officer of Women in Sport. “Sports providers must sit up and listen if they are trying to do well by black girls,” Hilborne said.