Women in sport are left exposed by the lack of backing that men receive, and by toxic attitudes that must be called outIf you watched any of Emma Raducanu’s Tuesday match against Karolina Muchova, it was probably only the two clips, stitched together neatly for the news highlights. Raducanu approaching the umpire. Raducanu wiping away tears with a towel.An emotional Raducanu is an instant headline, although this wasn’t a case of injury or frustration. Having seen a man in the crowd whose off-court behaviour had already concerned her, she was doing the sensible thing and reporting it. The Daily Mail reported that she was “reduced to cowering behind the umpire’s chair”. What a brilliantly multi-purpose use of language: paternalistic readers can get heroically angry on her behalf while the others write her off as a snowflake. Continue reading...
Emma Raducanu recently faced harassment during a match, prompting her to report the incident. This incident underscores the systemic issue of women in sports enduring heightened levels of abuse and inadequate support compared to their male counterparts. Other athletes, such as Katie Boulter, Danielle Collins, Sloane Stephens, and Madison Keys, have also experienced harassment, both online and in person. Female athletes often face additional pressure to use social media to gain visibility, which exposes them to further abuse. While organizations like World Athletics and the IOC are implementing AI to filter online abuse, these measures do not address the root causes of the problem, highlighting the need for systemic change.
