WOMEN'S REPRESENTATION IN SPORT MANAGEMENT POSITIONS IN SAUDI SPORTS FEDERATIONS

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the level of women's representation in management positions in Saudi sports federations. The sample of this study was 21 Saudi sports federations. Specifically, a quantitative method of existing records was used to conduct an audit of the gender ratio on sport management positions of 21 Saudi sports federations. Data of the 21 Saudi sports federations were collected through the official Saudi Ministry of Sport website to compare the percentage of women's representation in sport management positions in three positions (board chairs, board directors, and chief executives). The theoretical framework of this study used the Kanter (1977) theories of gender dynamics and gender ratios critical mass. The results of this study indicated that the average percentage of women's representation within the three positions between the 21 Saudi sports federations stands at 4.76% for board chairs, 25.17% for board directors, and 9.5% for chief executives. The study also provided recommendations of improving the percentage of women's representation in sport management positions in Saudi sports federations in compares to the percentage of women in these positions worldwide.