basketball
"There are definitely inequalities. As a female I don't get to run less, I ran 400 m just like my male counterparts but we do get lower appearance fees and prize money."
Sanya Richards-Ross, 4 time Olympic Gold Medalist
As one of my volunteer activities I was approached by my favorite coach from when I was an active athlete to help him get companies who would support young female basketball club he is now coaching. I took it as a project, put together a presentation in English and Croatian presenting this perspective and charismatic team and their families trying to get more financial support for their program in order for these young girls to lead a healthy lifestyle and play the sport they love.
Next, I approached several friends (man and women) who have their own companies or work for different multinational companies and as soon as I said it was a girls team, I got similar answers "but no-one supports women's sport" or "both men and women are in the same boat financially" which is as we all know not the fact. This left me quite disappointed as I can see that in my country sexism in sport is very much a harsh reality.
Next, I approached several friends (man and women) who have their own companies or work for different multinational companies and as soon as I said it was a girls team, I got similar answers "but no-one supports women's sport" or "both men and women are in the same boat financially" which is as we all know not the fact. This left me quite disappointed as I can see that in my country sexism in sport is very much a harsh reality.
Are men and women treated equally? Is there still sexism in sports? I think there is! Who is it to blame? Media, government and sports associations I think as they are the ones forming the opinions of public.
Here are a couple of interesting facts to support this:
Here are a couple of interesting facts to support this:
- WNBA lead minimum salary is 30,000 USD, mens NBA 300,000 USD
- Women soccer association was advised to make shorts tighter, worlds boxing association suggested women to box in skirts and beach volleyball to play in two piece suits to make a game 'more popular'
- It has taken just about 100 years for women to be able to compete in Olympics in all sport
- In 2012. it was the first time in history that every nation was represented by at least one female athlete on Olympics
- Women soccer association was advised to make shorts tighter, worlds boxing association suggested women to box in skirts and beach volleyball to play in two piece suits to make a game 'more popular'
- It has taken just about 100 years for women to be able to compete in Olympics in all sport
- In 2012. it was the first time in history that every nation was represented by at least one female athlete on Olympics
"Women's sport still gets just 0.5 per cent of all sports sponsorship money, a problem that links back to a lack of media coverage. Media coverage and sponsorship are two halves of the same coin – unless the media covers women's sport, sponsors won't support it."
Leora Hansler , WSFF
UNEVEN PLAYING FIELD
During the part of the month I stay in Budapest I watch CNN quite a lot, couple of days ago I came across amazing documentary called "Uneven playing field" ( which isnpired my post title) following last London Olympics which were known as 'Women Games' as it was the first time that every country had female athlete representing them. This documentary shares some of their stories. I highly encourage you to watch it.
Photo source: Vogue
MY STORY
I am naturally a girly girl. I always loved fashion and pink was always my favorite color. I also love to compete and most of all, I like to win. When I was younger (and today still) I was very hyper and my parents allowed me to take all extracurricular activities I wanted to try (at the same time) in attempt to get as much as energy they could out of me. That didn't work so well for them, but I had lots of fun ;)
Anyways, one of these activities was basketball. I was tall and thin, once local club team coach came to my PE class and asked couple of us if we wanted to try to practice basketball. I said yes even before I asked my parents. I thought it would be a lovely activity right after piano class and ballet-aerobics I was doing at the time. At the beginning I was quite clumsy, I liked to run and shoot the ball and I became good at it. Years past and I started dropping some other activities but continued with basketball. I went through many selections in a couple of club teams and national team in Croatia, enrolled to high school for perspective athletes and got offered a full athletic scholarship for Towson University in United States to study and play for the university team.
"Sport can build your confidence and teach you skills – such as working in a team and speaking in public in front of people. There are lots of little things it can help you pick up."
Nicole Adams, first women Olympic gold medalist
Years of playing and practicing in Croatia were at the time still manageable because we had amazing enthusiastic coaches and still functioning club to take care of our development and supportive parents who were driving us to practices and paying for our equipment, doctors and travel. The difference in treatment of men sports and female sports was always present and I started to notice that when we hear about men athletes we hear about their accomplishments but when we hear about women athletes most of the times we hear about their looks or how well fitting they are in their 'female role' of daughter of an ex-famous athlete but never about their athletic achievement only. On the other hand I admit, seems like we -women, gave up this fight way to easily as we accept to be seen as sex objects and embrace that they like us because of our looks and not our sports achievements.I regret to see female athletes in gossip or lifestyle news article photographed half naked rather then being (just like men) featured in sports sections in their jerseys.
Thus, society taught us that to be accepted as a men it means to 'achieve' and to be expected by a women it means to 'look'.
Thus, society taught us that to be accepted as a men it means to 'achieve' and to be expected by a women it means to 'look'.
CAN IT GET BETTER?
Olympic Skier Lindsey Vonn shoot by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue
In United States, I felt situation to be much different, not only in equal opportunity for female and male athletes which came as a result of 'Title IX' legislation in US which mandates equality in education for men and women and best training for talented athletes coming from federal funding. No wonder that US female athletes now have more Olympic medals then more then 200 other countries in the world in total!
When I practiced and play for my University I felt that I got the same care men's team got, furthermore they acted towards me as toward their fellow athlete or teammates not as towards a 'chic', 'shorty' or a 'girly girl' or a 'women who is hot or not'. I will never forget my first injury. After a hard pre-season couple of days before my first freshman game I twisted my ankle. I was crying in the training room with my ankle wrapped in ice and one of the guys from the men's basketball team - Tony came to talk to me. He was a junior already, he put his hand around me and said I would be ok, he told me about his first injury and how he felt at the time, he was talking to me as towards his teammate 'we-Tigers' he said, which helped me feel as part of the community and the team. Men's team came to watch our games, supported us and played scrimmage with us off practice. I felt as equal, not as a sex object or a lower class human being.
Today, five years later I am not an active athlete anymore and I get "thanks God that you are not an athlete anymore" from guys as if it would make me undesirable as a women. Personally, I didn't want to pursue sports further as my career, I developed a new love for fashion with overpowered the one for sports but I acknowledge and appreciate sport that formed me into a person I am today. I learned to be disciplined, a team player, to be a leader, to speak my mind, to be a lady athlete (which coach emphasized on every single practice calling us lady tigers), not just an athlete to go after and achieve my life goals and dreams and this is why I take pride into promoting women's sports and qualities they build into young women. I do hope for my children to be born into a healthier, more equal culture then the one we have today.
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
Eleanor Roosevelt
"I think London's sexy because it's so full of eccentrics."
Rachel Weisz
Last weekend right after Dreft Fashion Week blogger conference I traveled to London to support my boyfriend who was playing final four Euroleague basketball tournament. My friend and roommate (also) Katarina went with me so we used the opportunity to explore London a bit in between the games.
Although I have been to London many times and visited most of the tourist hot spots, cold London weather surprises me every time, this weekend was not an exception, on top, Katarina's suitcase never arrived from Zagreb so first thing we did was went to shop for some warmer clothes.
It was raining mostly so we spent first day and a half warming up with Starbucks coffee, tea and biscuits and morning my boyfriend's team loss in the first game over a big Japanese lunch and with a delicious coconut and mango frozen yogurt in TopShop on Bond street.
“One thing about London is that when you step out into the night, it swallows you.”
Sebastian Faulks, Engleby
Although my boyfriend team didn't win the Euroleague this year he was selected in a first team of Euroleague and also an MVP for February so we are hoping he will win Spanish championship and balance it all out :) I am also hoping for a win next year, also in final four, in London.
London is a roost for every bird."
Benjamin Disraeli
“Every relationship rests on three legs: accepting, supporting and challenging. That's really it, isn't it? You want your relationships to be grounded on accepting each other as you are. On supporting each other through the inevitable ups and downs. On challenging each other to become more, to grow, to flourish."
Samantha Goodwin
Last couple of days I have actually put everything on a side, work, fashion, even following NY fashion week, set on an airplane leaving from Budapest to Madrid at 5 am in the morning and then drove with a friend from Madrid to Vitoria on South of Spain to support my boyfriend during important tournament - Copa Del Rey (King's Cup). First game they played was against Real Madrid, club in which he played last couple of seasons and where many of his dear friends still play. This was actually a true 'finale' game as Barcelona and Real Madrid are realistically two best basketball clubs in their league.
Thankfully, my boyfriends team - Barcelona, won the first game after two quite emotional overtimes, I lost my voice cheering, I knew how much this game means to him so our friend Zoran (who took most of these photos) and I sat right behind the basket with big Croatian flag so he can see us and hear us during hardest minutes of the game. It worked! They won both of first two games and tonight they are playing in finals. If they win, and I am sure they will, this will be our second medal from Copa Del Rey in two years since we have been together.
It is hard, we both work and travel a whole lot and are often tired but one thing we promised each other is to make each other our first priority. Meaning, when we have very important or emotionally draining work event, be in something related to my blog or work or for him important game, the other person will take a first flight and come to support, no matter what.
Since the weather was quite cold and rainy and I tried to spend some time with my boyfriend in between his practices, rest breaks, media meetings and games I found just about an hour or so for a quick run around town with our friend so I stopped by Kiko and iF parfumeria to get some of my favorite beauty essentials which I didn't have time to stock up on during last busy work week.
Vitoria-Gasteiz had a really bad weather last couple of days, raining, snowing and cold, however this little town is really special by so many things. It is first in the whole Spain as per green areas and cultural places per capita, also it is second as per quality and standard of living in Spain. Southern Spain - Pais Vasco is the richest part of Spain. This area is also known by its famous Inernational Jazz Festival.
Here I stayed at historic and comfy hotel Paradores, hotel is very close by car to city center, about 10-15 minutes, staff in general doesn't speak good English but were quite helpful and sweet, food in hotel is pricey but delicious.
“Build me up and I with you. For we are more one than two.”
Deborah Day
This has been a long vacation week for my boyfriend and I in Barcelona - well vacation for me and painful pre-seasons work our week for him. We have been living in lovely Gran Hotel Princesa Sofia which is really a great and luxurious hotel but we couldn't wait to finally stop living out of our suitcases and start settling in an amazing apartment which we chose.
Seems like the move is happening tonight as they told us apartment should be ready for us later today. Obviously, it's his apartment, I was just helping him pick one and we will try to clean it and decorate it through next couple of days to make it a home for him and I when I visit each month.
Since we are just moving in later this evening, I will be posting photos of our progress with settling in during next week, make sure you stop by to see the walk-in closet photos which I am particularly excited about.
With this post I am reminding you on the series of post I wrote since I arrived in Barcelona, most of them experiential "Lines of life" , some useful tips for fashion travelers but also a lovely post from "Lines of passion for fashion" category about pants trend for upcoming Fall season, check them out if you haven't already, I would love to read your comments and thoughts on them.
- Embalaje para Espana: 5 traveling tips.
- Getting lost in Barcelona.
- What would you do for love?
- She wears pants this season!
- Don't you know who I am?
You can also check out my Weekend Stylebook suggestion for this weekend which I am posting every Friday on Femina.hr lifestyle portal.
Hastaluego with this njumy desert lovelies! Stay tuned for lovely photos, reports from Barcelona & finally a cool Spanish giveaway I will be doing prior to my trip back to Croatia!
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