Young girls need role models and parental support in order to be inspired to take up sports.
So says former professional basketball player Radmila Turner.
“There needs to be both (role models and supportive parents), but they need to be inspired. Young girls need inspiration,” said Turner, a former Bulgarian star who is now International Basketball Federation’s Head of National Federations and Sport, Youth and Anti-Doping Europe.
“Without the support of parents, it’s difficult for them. Parental support is crucial, and you need both (role models and parental support) in the different stages of their lives.”
She said this on the WOW ‘Women on Wednesdays’ programme organised by Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) late last night.
SIGA is the world´s largest coalition in the field of sport´s governance and integrity. Twentytwo13 is the media partner for SIGA.
Turner was joined by The Naked Warrior chief executive officer Claire Johnson in the first session, while the second session saw the participation of Women’s Professional Fastpitch commissioner Lauren Chamberlain, and Hot Wheels monster truck driver Rebecca Schnell. Both sessions were moderated by SIGA’s global chief operating officer and managing director, Katie Simmonds.
Turner also pointed out that it’s important to make a sport successful, so that more people, especially young girls, would participate, thereby breaking cultural barriers.
“We deal with such issues (where women are not allowed to progress in sports due to cultural issues). It’s important to educate and to change the structure, and break barriers. But they don’t happen immediately.
“We need to make the sport successful, make it easy for them (young girls and women) to be involved.
“I know it’s difficult, but it’s everybody’s role to achieve this.”
Concerns have been raised over the participation of women and young girls in sports in certain parts of the world.
Last month, it was reported that Afghanistan’s Taliban regime would forbid women from playing cricket and other sports.
Many women athletes have fled the nation for fear of being persecuted for playing sports.
