It’s no secret that men dominate sports and that women frequently face significant obstacles. Asian women have found it especially challenging to participate in sports due to the region’s conservatism. Professional female athletes, on the other hand, such as the Thai national volleyball women’s team, work tirelessly to contribute and prevail wherever possible.

The current sporting sector is becoming more diversified as new fields such as eSports emerge, and women are discovering new, gender-neutral sporting opportunities. This article highlights  Asian women’s sports opportunities, and how women are fighting for their place in a male-dominated world.

Asian Women’s Participation in Sports

Women and sports in Asia have frequently been neglected subjects, with few Asian countries actively encouraging their participation. Some independent organizations, on the other hand, have initiated initiatives to promote women’s empowerment. They urge women to take on leadership roles in their communities and to perform activities that were traditionally reserved for men. Several Asian countries have even begun to establish legislation to achieve gender equality.

Here are a few examples of these countries:

Thailand

Thailand has made significant strides in encouraging women and girls to participate in sports. Prof. Dr. Supitr Samahito of Thailand’s Olympic Council of Asia is dedicated to the advancement of women in sports. The Thai official has elevated female athletes to positions of authority within the Olympic movement in the public spotlight. According to Dr. Supitr Samahito, the Thai national team is 49 percent female.

The professor was equally pleased with the progress made by female athletes. “I am delighted to see the proportion of female athletes in the delegations and their steady development in sports.”

Thailand’s women’s national volleyball team has also made great strides. The team has progressed from a tournament squad to a top international squad and is already receiving high acclaim.

Philippines

Back in 1983, the Philippines finished fifth out of nine teams in an Asia Women’s Volleyball Championship. This was also the time when the Philippines dominated women’s volleyball throughout Southern Asia. Since then, the Philippines has worked hard to improve women’s participation in sports.

Women’s sports in the Philippines have greatly improved due to government support. By enacting Republic Act 9710 on August 14, 2009, the State demonstrated its commitment to addressing equality.

The signed law addressed women’s rights in sports as well as the obligation to develop, establish, and strengthen programs. It allows women and girls to participate in competitive and even non-competitive sports.

The Philippine Sports Commission has also ensured that sports policies and programs are implemented. The Gender and Development Program is the only institution implementing the guidelines.

Since the passage of the laws and their implementation, Filipina female athletes have competed on an equal footing with their male counterparts. Female athletes have also received accolades that will go down in Philippine sports history, and this has helped lay the groundwork for female athletes to excel among future generations.

Qatar

Given its love of the game, Qatar is best known for its efforts to increase the number of women who play golf. Women’s golfing opportunities in Qatar were showcased during a European tour stop in 2016. The Women in Golf Charter also supports efforts to increase female golf participation. The Charter, which was launched in May 2018, aims to increase women’s and girls’ participation and membership in golf.

The charter also encourages more families to enjoy golf as a recreational activity, and it has expanded opportunities for women to work and volunteer in the golf industry. Over 700 organizations also pledged to create an inclusive culture within the golf industry as part of the initiative.

Aside from golf, other physical sports activities have been promoted in Qatar in order to increase female participation. Women’s involvement in sports such as swimming, bowling, and football has been marketed, and an increasing number of women are attempting to enter the sports industry.

Final Thoughts

Despite gender prejudices regarding sports, many Asian women athletes have challenged standard gender classifications by competing in a wide range of sports. Their culture’s rigid rules regarding how women can express themselves are at the root of the resistance to women participating in physical sports. However, in such traditional countries, times are moving in favor of inclusivity.