The sport glass ceiling : myth or reality

The study of gender and sport is consistently evolving. Researchers have increasingly focussed on women’s experience of sport and the factors that impinge on their involvement. However, little has been written on women’s involvement in sport management and leadership. The focus of this study was to examine women and management in the context of sport. Specifically, the study has investigated the rational behind why there are so few women in senior level management roles in Australian sporting organisations. The findings demonstrate that the overtly masculine nature of management and sport serves to restrict women’s involvement in management and decision making. Females are employed by sporting organisations. However, they are restricted to positions which offer little scope for advancement. External constraints impacted most significantly on women’s ability to progress upwards through organisational hierarchies. Male organisational cultures, masculine merit structures, myths and stereotypical assumptions were all found to negatively impact on the career strivings of female sport managers.