Sport For All? The Equality Conunudrum

What is equality? Is there really a place for it in sport?

The Oxford English Dictionary explains equality as “the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, or opportunities.” Now that is easy to understand.

Move on to the definition on the Equal and Human Rights Commission website and things start to become a little less clear. Under the heading What is Equality? They state:

“Equality is about ensuring that every individual has an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives and talents.

It is also the belief that no one should have poorer life chances because of the way they were born, where they come from, what they believe, or whether they have a disability.

Equality recognises that historically certain groups of people with protected characteristics such as race, disability, sex and sexual orientation have experienced discrimination.”

The key word in both of these explanations is “opportunity.”

In the world that we have created unfortunately when it comes to status it is very hard to be equal. Status in the main refers to your social or professional position or standing. The problem is most of society exists in a supposed meritocracy, where we are governed by people selected according to merit. If we were all to be equal in status there would be no captains in our teams, no vice captains, no leadership groups, no coaches or assistant coaches. The new members of the team would immediately be on equal footing with the 100-game veterans. In a competitive environment that is unlikely to change.

When it comes to your social standing, again whether we like it or not the likelihood is that we are not all going to be equal here either. The established player who has a history of good performances behind them is going to be earning more than the rookie coming into the side. They are also going to attract more sponsorship deals. When it comes to our schooling, how many children get to choose which school they went to? Their parents make that decision, and they make it to try and give their child a better opportunity. Some will opt to pay for a private school education, others will move to another suburb, to try and gain entry to a better school. Some will simply have no choice.

However yes, as a society we should be doing everything possible to make sure that those from the lesser schools are not disadvantaged, but the reality is very different. As the Equal and Human Rights commission states discrimination against them needs to be eradicated. Maybe then they will enjoy more opportunities.

We have seen some sports try to level the playing field with player drafts, others have introduced points systems, while others have adopted forms of handicapping to try and make the competition level. Do they work?

In some cases yes they do. If you look at Wheelchair Basketball the points allocated to players based on their movement ability ensures that players of varied capabilities are on court at the same time. It means that coaches can train certain combinations to suit various situations.

In horse racing many will also say that the handicapping system works, also in events such as the Stawell Gift the system appears to work and ensures a closer finish than would otherwise have resulted had each sprinter started on the same point.

Arguably in the AFL the draft works as teams appear to peak with a set group and be competitive for a four to five year cycle and then another team rises. For example Richmond has won three of the last four Grand Finals. Before that Hawthorn won three of the four consecutive finals they played in. Before that Geelong won three of the four Grand Finals they appeared in during a five year spell.

In the NBA it may not work quite as well. If you look back over the past 21 years ten teams have won the NBA Title. The LA Lakers have won six titles in eight finals. The San Antonio Spurs have won four titles in five finals and the Golden State Warriors three from five straight finals. Miami Heat has won three in six finals and the Cleveland Cavaliers has one Championship from five finals. These five teams have won 17 of the 21 Championships since 1999. These five teams have made up 29 of the 42 finals places.There are 30 teams in the NBA, so is that equal?

When you consider that sport is about people competing against each other it goes against the whole idea of equality. After all competition is all about “striving to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others.” Which makes this new trend of giving every player a trophy whether their team won or lost go against the grain of what sporting competition is all about.

It also means that in a sporting world the only equality that can possibly exist is that of opportunity.

One would think that opportunity and development would be an area that would go hand in hand, but in the sporting world today they don’t. This is an area where there is possibly the most inequality. How many clubs are subsidising fees in order to help those parents with a young talented child play their sport? How many of the associations are helping supply junior clubs with equipment so that the burden of buying equipment does not fall on clubs and parents? With a little creative thinking and a big prod from Governments that have the courage to change their flawed funding models so much could be done at junior level to even the playing field when it comes to opportunity.

This very issue was raised superbly in the UK by 17 year old Izzy Gardner in November last year on Twitter and then picked up by the media. (Meet Izzy Gardner: Hockey’s voice for more State School Inclusion)

Of course when talking about this we are talking about non-elite sport. Elite sport comes later when a child has been able to play and learn.

The very word ‘elite’ flies in the face of equality. Again going to the dictionary to back up that statement it will tell you that to be ‘elite’ you are “a select group that is superior in terms of ability or qualities to the rest of a group or society.” So no equality there, you are standing apart from the majority.

Yet interestingly it is in the elite sports that there seems to be so much bickering about Equality. In fact Governments and organisations that fund sports are asking these elite programs to demonstrate that they have an equality program and framework. Yet this is the one area where the competition to be the best is its most fierce. Where the financial rewards in many cases are the greatest, and also the sacrifices. Funny how no one talks about equality when it comes to the sacrifices some athletes make in their dedication to reach the pinnacle. To fast track another under the guise of equality is both disrespectful and unjust.

The truth is very few sports operate on equal terms. Yes, some may now offer equal prize money in tournaments or there may be similar television coverage for mens and women’s competitions, but if we go back to the Equal and Human Rights Commission’s explanation of equality are we seeing the same coverage for athletes with a disability?

The fact is just as in the days when we could all go on holiday we would all look at the options to get from A to B. We would look at the schedules and most importantly we would look at the price. Then we would make our choice. Few screamed that all of the airlines had to offer the same priced airfares. Of course if they did that would be anti-competitive! Yet some are now demanding that all athletes male or female, and presumably also athletes with a disability competing at the elite level be paid the same amount. If the pay is not the same then the prize money has to be. Surely that is anti-competitive?

No wonder many are confused.

There have been teams in the past that offered all players the same flat wage per game. Where the wages differed was whether they won, drew or lost. If they lost they simply received their match fee. If they won, depending on each player’s experience and skill, their bonus may be higher than a player fresh into the squad. To many who played under such a system it seemed fair. What concerns many today is what the high paid players receive irrespective as to whether they perform or not. Mind you the same could apply in business!

The world is a competitive place. The political parties compete to gain power, businesses compete to win contracts. Chief Executives of these companies are paid differing amounts. Where is the equality in the business world? Those companies with money will invest more in their tender to win a contract, because they have that ability. Yet where are the cries for parity here? Constantly we are told that sport is a business, a big business, and a lucrative business, so why do the rules of business no longer apply in sport? Why is it in sport that suddenly those who have worked hard to climb to the top and be successful are being told that they must share those rewards; certainly with some of the sums of money one feels that they should, and some to their credit do. However that is their choice, after all they earned the money.

If there was equality in team sports the way some interpret equality, would that mean that everyone in a squad would play the same amount of games in a season? That all of those in a national squad must play the same amount of games? Of course not, such a suggestion is preposterous. The best team should always be picked for each game. If sport walks away from that simple rule, the fans will walk away in droves.

The organisers of the Australian Open may well have miscalculated public opinion when it chartered aircraft and flew the competitors to Australia. Those with families and friends overseas trying to get back to Australia understandably questioning how Australians cannot get home but athletes are given a chartered aircraft. In addition clearly there was a communication breakdown regarding the lockdown situation when they arrived. Most likely the players themselves did not read or listen properly, or their management failed to explain it. What has irritated many in Australia is that the players who if knocked out in the opening round receive AUD$100,000 had their quarantine accommodation paid for by Tennis Australia.

Yes, the players have expenses, such as paying their coaches, but surely if they wanted to play, and wanted to earn the prize money on offer the least they could do was pick up their hotel bill?

If this seems harsh the 50th ranked male player as of 01 February 2021 is aptly named American Tennys Sandgren. He has career earnings of USD$2,871,762. His female counterpart Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic has career earnings of USD10,991,003. The 100th ranked female player’s earnings are a long way from that at USD$667,948 but the men’s is USD$1,154,159. Which begs the question, if they weren’t prepared to pay for it then why couldn’t the price of their accommodation be taken out of their price money?

Craig Tiley the CEO of Tennis Australia explained that the reason they had gone to such trouble to have the event go ahead was because there was competition from other cities in the region to steal the event, in particular Shanghai. Many questioned whether this would really be the case with Tennis such a traditional sport, and the Australian Open being a key part of the four Grand Slam Tournaments. However if taken to be true it shows again that the world of sport is competitive, and even your hosting of an event is not guaranteed. No doubt those nations that do not host a Grand Slam Tournament will argue that there is no equality.

Equal pay and equal coverage in the media are again hot topics, but are these both about opportunity?

It should come as no surprise that in Women’s sport in 2020 according to Forbes magazine nine of the top ten highest paid women come from the sport of Tennis. Footballer Alex Morgan dropping in at 10 with earnings of USD$4.6million. The top ten men had a wider spread of sports with Tennis, Golf, Football, Basketball and Gridiron all featured. The Philadelphia Eagles Carson Wentz came in 10th in the men with earnings of USD59.1million.

Forbes Magazine also listed the sports with the most athletes in the top 100 highest paid. Basketball had 35, Gridiron 31, Football 14, Tennis 6, Boxing 5, Golf 4, Motor racing 3, Baseball and Cricket 1. Naomi Osaka was the highest paid female athlete in 2020 and came in at 29th, Serena Williams was 33rd.

The sums of money for playing sport are thought by many to be obscene. Especially as the fees at the bottom end of a number of sports are proving prohibitive to children just playing the game for fun. Are the opportunities there for female athletes to earn as much as the men? Are the opportunities there for athletes with a disability to earn as much? Are the Youth being given the opportunity to play?

Whether we like it or not sport is built upon sponsorship and viewership, be that crowds at live games or watching via whatever means they choose today. It comes down to commercial reality. The more interest and views the more sponsorship. The more money coming in the more the athletes can be paid. Although it would be good to see Sporting bodies stipulate that a percentage of the revenue be put back into the sport to cover junior fees. The problem here is no longer do many of the sporting bodies in each country own the commercial rights to their own tournaments.

Will situations where the Australian Government gave Fox Sports AUD$40m to broadcast women’s sport help address such an imbalance? How do other women’s sports who have toiled for years for media coverage and whose athletes are superb role models feel when the Government bank rolls the coverage of Women’s AFL, irrespective of the standard of the competition? Some of these sports must be miffed that suddenly this sport is being given what appears to be a free ride, when they have been working hard for years and have superior standards of competition. Where is the equality here? For that matter why is the AFL which posted a Financial profit in the financial year pre-civid of $48.5million still receiving Government funding? Why are the other sports not putting pressure on the Government? The Federal Government pledged AFL $131Million in funding during the last election campaign! Many could argue that there is an inequality in funding, being authorised by those who are actually advocating for equality.

The questions all of these policy makers have failed to take into consideration are do the fans want to see equality as it is perceived and do they want to see people given an opportunity simply because they tick a box? The answer in most cases is yes they would like to see equal opportunities for all, but in the main equal opportunities for all in schools and amongst the youth, to be able to play. Equality based on ticking a box results nearly always meets with very negative responses.

If sport is going to become about equality, where all of our society are represented in our teams, we will no longer have the best playing. We will have the best from that particular social group. Is that what people want? Or would they rather see all of those social groups given the same opportunities? That the same investment is made in all of those communities to create opportunities?

Quotas are not the answer, giving someone a place in the team because they tick a box ultimately builds resentment. It can also destroy the person selected. For in sport, as in life, most people know in their heart whether they deserve to be in a position, and if they are good enough.

There are many sports where men and women can compete together, you see it in golf, you see it in touch rugby and mixed tennis. Is this the way people want to see sport evolve? That we have more mixed team events?

The fact is sport will never be equal, it was never meant to be. That is why every four years at the Olympic Games and Paralympic games we cheer on the underdog and marvel when they overcome the odds to win. If it were to be equal the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee would be doing far more to even the playing field. For example all athletes competing in a wheel chair would have to use the exact same chair and runners the same brand of spikes! Sport is wholly and solely about the competition. When it ceases to be about that then it starts to lose meaning. The English FA Cup is a lesson for all. (Where Has The Magic of The FA Cup Gone?)

Where the focus and emphasis should be is on the equality of opportunity. Everyone being given a chance to play the game of their choice at whatever level their ability determines. It is about ensuring that barriers are knocked down to give opportunities to those with poorer life chances because of the way they were born, where they come from, what they believe, or whether they have a disability. As for their sexual orientation that should not even be an issue..

Sport should be somewhere where there is an opportunity for all. An opportunity for all to play whatever sport they like at whatever level they want. To be able to pursue their dreams based on their ability against stiff competition. A place where they can test themselves and that ability and judge whether they have improved, and find their standard. That should be everyone’s right. To have an equal opportunity to make the most of their talents.

Only when sport creates such an environment will sport truly be equal.

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