Analysis of gender policies of the Spanish cycling and triathlon federations from the point of view of representative athletes and expert technicians

Abstract

The Spanish National Sports Council, through its program “Women and Sport” (published in the Decree Pre/525/2005), implements specific entities in Spanish cycling and triathlon federations with the aim of promoting the sportswomen involvement in the physical activity and sport on similar terms with sportsmen, trying to overcome the barriers which nowadays hamper gender equality in this areas. In this work, we try to analyze the current situation of cycling and triathlon in Spain, with the aim of rebuilding, through content analysis and key information analysis, the general current context of competition where Spanish female cyclists and triathletes are participating. This study, enclosed in the interpretative paradigm, uses a qualitative methodology. Feedback from 17 interviewees has been compiled: 8 sportspeople (4 cyclists and 4 triathletes) and 9 managers/staff members linked to triathlon and cycling federations (President of International Triathlon Union, President of Spanish National Sports Council, secretaries-general, Presidents of Women and Sport Commission, Team managers and coaches from both sports federations of cycling and triathlon). The instrument used for this study was a semi-structured interview. Data showed a situation in need of a change, where a modification of the regulatory framework in sports area, a revision of gender-related policies applied by sports federations, and a modernization of federation management would be advisable.