Theses on Gender and Equality in Sports
Do football players give female coaches the red card? (MSc)
Erica Froste Myrin and Sigrid Holmgren (2023)
Abstract: In Swedish elite football, the skewed gender distribution among coaches is conspicuous. This thesis investigates one potential explanation for why there are so few female coaches in this environment. Previous research has found that students evaluate female teachers more critically than male teachers, even in areas beyond their control. This raises the question of whether similar patterns exist in Swedish elite football.
We conducted a framed field experiment with teams in the highest football division for players aged 19 or under in Sweden. A total of 505 participants watched a video with instructions on a football skill and evaluated it. Half of the players received instructions from a female coach, and the other half from a male coach.
We find no evidence of gender bias in this sample at the 5 percent significance level. We also find no significant results when controlling for whether participants belonged to a male or female team, or whether they currently or previously had exposure to a female coach. A series of robustness checks were conducted, and the results remain robust.
Gender budgeting in sports: Icing on the cake? (MSc)
Oscar Lundquist and Lukas Öberg (2022)
Abstract: This study explores the role of budgeting in supporting gender equality. Building on sports management literature on gender inequality and its links to resource allocation, we develop the concept of gender budgeting through the different roles of a budget. We examine the Swedish Sports Confederation (Riksidrottsförbundet) through an exploratory single-case study based on semi-structured interviews with employees involved in the budgeting process.
This thesis makes two main contributions. First, it contributes to accounting and sports research by integrating sports management perspectives on gender equality, showing how accounting, sports, and gender intersect as a research field addressing broader societal issues. Second, it contributes to research on gender budgeting by analyzing how different budget roles support gender equality in a national sports governing body with a dual identity - as both a public authority and a representative of the independent sports movement. This dual identity may help clarify whether gender budgeting is merely an “icing on the cake.”
Hannah Stihl and Matilda Olsson (2020)
Abstract: Despite explicit targets for more than 25 years, only 37 of 71 Swedish Special Sports Federations had achieved gender-equal board representation in 2016. In 2017, the Swedish Sports Confederation decided to implement a gender quota requiring all federations to comply by 2021 or risk losing financial support.
While previous research has focused on the benefits of gender-equal boards, less attention has been given to the organizational change processes leading to this outcome. This study examines how federations have moved from gender imbalance to gender equality by analyzing organizational practices and structures that influence this transition. A qualitative case study was conducted, including interviews with board members from 24 federations.
The findings show that although most federations implemented measures to meet the quota, their approaches differed. Some focused primarily on representation, while others adopted a more holistic approach that addressed underlying causes. The change process was influenced by both external and internal pressures, as well as how federations managed perceived threats, discussed the value of gender equality, ensured top management support, and implemented educational initiatives.
E-sports: A man’s world? How gender ratios in e-sports teams affect perceptions (BSc)
Jonny Baho and Axel Neikter (2019)
Abstract: E-sports have evolved from a niche community of video gamers into a mainstream phenomenon, with million-dollar prize pools for top players. As the industry has grown, companies have increasingly invested in sponsoring teams and even establishing their own. Despite this growth, e-sports remain male-dominated, with most professional players being men. Previous research shows that in male-dominated domains, stereotypes can shape perceptions of those who challenge them. This study examines how perceptions of e-sports teams vary depending on gender composition.
An experiment was conducted in which three groups received simulated newspaper articles about a new e-sports team with different gender ratios: an all-male team, a mixed-gender team, and an all-female team. Data from 122 respondents were collected and analysed in terms of attitude, interest, perceived skill, likelihood of sharing the article, and likelihood of watching the team play.
The results indicate greater interest in teams that included female players compared with all-male teams. This increased interest was observed for both mixed-gender and all-female teams, suggesting that the presence of female players - rather than the absence of male players - drove the effect. The study suggests that e-sports teams seeking to increase audience interest may benefit from including female players, all else equal.
Amanda Sochon and Anna Zdolsek (2017)
Abstract: Corporate interest in sponsorship is increasing globally, with sport receiving the largest share. In Sweden, a country often ranked as highly gender-equal, 46 percent of elite athletes are women, yet only 20 percent of sponsorship resources are allocated to them. Previous research shows that women in sport often adapt to prevailing male norms, while sponsorship literature has focused on how corporations benefit from sponsorship. Few studies have combined these perspectives. This study addresses that gap by taking a holistic view of sponsorship collaborations in relation to gender, examining which factors influence women’s clubs in securing and maintaining sponsorships.
A qualitative multiple-case study was conducted at the elite level in Swedish football. Interviews were carried out with nine football clubs - four women’s, three men’s, and two with both men’s and women’s teams - and nine sponsors.
The findings show that gender has the greatest influence in the early phases of collaboration. Factors such as personal relationships, ongoing collaborations, and non-targeted measurement practices - previously favouring men - remain gendered, although both genders may benefit. Gender itself was not found to significantly influence the management or evaluation of collaborations, particularly in relation to maintaining sponsorships.