Sports Participation Barriers and Psychosocial Challenges: A Survey Study of Female Elite Athletes in Pakistan

Background. It is well-documented that there are both social and cultural limitations that prevent women from engaging in sports. A complex combination of social constraints, religious resistance, cultural norms, male attitudes, coaching concerns, and parental worries limits women's participation in sports. Because these obstacles are interconnected and frequently reinforce one another, female athletes often encounter multiple difficulties simultaneously. Objectives. The researchers outlined several objectives to understand the actual issues surrounding female participation in sports. These objectives included identifying parents' concerns, social limitations, cultural traits and traditions, religious restrictions, coaching and training challenges, and the behavior of male elite athletes toward female athletes concerning sports participation. Methodology. A survey approach was used in this study to address the research objectives. A multistage sampling technique was used to select a sample that represented the population. A five-point Likert scale was used for data collection. The data were compiled and analyzed using various statistical tests, including regression, ANOVA, and Tukey’s test. Each statistical method plays a specific role in the data analysis. Results. The survey reveals that Societal Limitations are the strongest barrier to female elite athlete participation, followed by religious traditions, cultural norms, and male athletes' Attitudes towards females, which are also significant barriers to female sports participation. The results reveal that in our country, Pakistan, female athletes face major issues with coaching and physical training at the elite level. Parental concerns also influence the participation of female athletes at the elite level.