Earlier this week U.S. downhill skier Lindsey Vonn was denied the chance to race against men in Lake Louise on November 24. Vonn has consistently clocked times on the slope that would allow her to qualify for the men’s category but the FIS (Federation International de Ski) has stated that “one racer is not entitled to participate in the race of the other”.

 

I feel it is important to note that the FIS’s statement regards both genders. They feel that if they allow Vonn, the best of the women skiers, to race against men then it is similarly allowing the worst of the men to race against women.

 

The situation that could arise from this, and one that no one wants to see happen, is one where we look on men’s sports as the premier league events and all women’s sports are banished into obscurity. Granted this may already be the feeling that some sports take but with if we allow women to be ‘promoted’ into men’s sport then we are making it official.

 

There are many people this summer who were inspired by the actions of Oscar Pistorius, the first disabled man to compete in Olympic athletics. Comparisons will no doubt be drawn between the International Olympic Committee allowing him to be promoted into a league above his and Lindsey Vonn wanting to compete against men.

 

This is not to say that Women’s sport should be compared to disabled sport in any way but that a precedent has been set whereby, if a person is able to fairly compete against a higher category, they should be able to do so. History has shown us many notable examples of women having managed to flourish in competitive sport. Golfer Annika Sorenstam undertook a rigorous weights and flexibility regime to add an extra 20 yards onto her drive and to enable her to play against men in the PGA tour.

 

The divide is shown to be more than physical as women are rarely seen officiating in men’s games, the obvious exception to this rule being tennis. In football this is best shown by the behaviour of sky sports pundits Andy Gray and Richard Keyes. In one of the first premiership matches to feature a woman official they argued that she, and all women, was unable to understand the offside rule and should not be allowed to officiate.

 

Attitudes likes this are the reason why so many female athletes feel the need to compete in men’s sports. Men and Women are naturally different, but in no way is one better than the other. A professional sportswomen is a pioneer for the feminist movement. The stigma attached to sport that it is just for men is outdated nonsense. Don’t ruin this by making men’s sports the next step for women.

 

Usain Bolt may be the fastest person on the planet but it would be ridiculous to say that he tries any harder than Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Any woman who is good enough to call herself the best in the world at her sport has every reason to be proud of herself. If we allow women to compete in men’s events then we cheapen the meaning of women’s events and of women’s sports entirely.

 

Author: Nick Gandy, Sports Editor