Abstract

The geographical location of Turkey, its secular government and majority Muslim population make it an interesting country for study when investigating the participation of Muslim women in sport. The authors explore historical and contemporary issues related to girls and women. Theoretically, modern Turkey encourages participation in school and community sport and exercise for all. In reality, some schools do not carry out the required national curriculum, and data suggests that, despite some provision, they provide very small levels of participation in physical activity. Turkish women can face social disapproval by taking part in sporting activities; the hijah has been banned in competitive sport since 1999; and opportunities are constrained by under-representation of women in all leadership positions in sport. Einleitung