TACKLING GENDER INEQUITY IN SPORTS

CONFRONTING AN UNJUST REALITY

Even today, equal access to sports is not the reality for everyone. Women and girls are too often left on the sidelines.

With systemic barriers from lack of access and representation to cultural stigma and self-doubt, girls and young women routinely drop out of sports at a greater rate than boys of the same age. This has a negative ripple effect across society, both on and off the field.?

Breaking down these barriers helps lay the groundwork for a fairer, healthier, and more prosperous world — for everyone. That’s why at 17 Sport , we partnered with 阿迪达斯 to take action and level the playing field with the adidas Breaking Barriers Project, a commitment to breaking down barriers for women and girls throughout Europe. The Project kicked off in early 2020, in collaboration with experts in gender equity like Common Goal , Women Win , and Soccer Without Borders , and is set to continue driving impact until at least 2025.

PLAYING OUR PART?

As part of the Project goals to further education for athletes, staff, and coaches, we designed and implemented the Learning Hub — a program focused on building the capacity of gender equity within the European sports industry. This two-year program is delivered to the Project Champions and organizational partners through webinars and events.?

Changing the game for all meant adidas also wanted resources that anyone could use worldwide to kick-start their journey in gender equity. For this, we built and launched the adidas Breaking Barriers Academy — a self-paced digital platform for anyone looking to increase their understanding of inclusion in sports.?

Additionally, we worked with adidas to create the #LetsBreakBarriers campaign, which tells the stories of the inspiring adidas Breaking Barriers Champions: the girls and women who are driving impact within their communities. A rallying call for collaborative action, the campaign is aspirational and solution-focused, in line with the brand sentiment that impossible is nothing. The 17 Sport Creative Services team was responsible for the delivery of the full campaign, from the creative concept through to production and roll-out.

A MORE EQUITABLE FUTURE

Despite the challenges brought about by COVID-19 throughout the first two years of the adidas Breaking Barriers Project, great strides were made in achieving the objectives to open up more pathways to sports for women and girls. By collaborating with more than 50 inspiring champions and 15 dedicated nonprofits committed to making a change, the Project is reaching over 22,000 women and girls across 9 European countries.?

At 17 Sport, we strive to use the power of sports to build a more positive future in the world, which is why this Project is so important to our goals. Transforming the world through sports means making sure it is open and accessible to all — and this is just the beginning.?

Find out more about our work on the adidas Breaking Barriers Project and how we can help your organization make an impact through sports on our website.?