Abstract des Autors

This chapter discusses gender quality through the lens of public expenditure in western European countries. It begins with describing the policy background of sport organizations involved in elite sport and broader societal developments, to understand the role of governments and increasing concerns of gender equality in several areas of elite sport. After presenting data on public expenditure, specifically on women’s sport, the heart of the chapter discusses gender equality among recipients of public funding, including sport governing bodies, elite sport coaches, and elite athletes. Within sport governing bodies, the focus is on female under-representation in leading positions, explanations for this, and potential strategies to increase gender equality. The section on elite sport coaching deals with female under-representation and gender differences, whereas the one on elite athletes lays out controversies about equal pay among national team players in soccer. Bibiana Steinhaus, the first women ever who refereed a game in the first division of men’s soccer in Germany, is selected as a female leader and role model in terms of persistence and fighting spirit in this male-dominated sport. The chapter finishes with some concluding remarks and directions for future research.