We still have a long way to go: Jessica Ennis-Hill on gender equality in sport
Ennis-Hill said there were ‘so many examples of women not being understood or being ignored’ in athletics.
Olympian Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill has said there is “still a long way to go” to reach gender equality within sport.
The former British track and field athlete, 38, won heptathlon gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games and silver at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Speaking in an interview with Women’s Health, she said there were “so many examples of women not being understood or being ignored” in athletics and other sports.
She said: “Honestly, it’s so bizarre, until you actually start delving into it, you can’t believe it’s happened.
“The lack of studies and research – and it’s all done on men – it just seems so archaic. There are so many examples of women not being understood or being ignored.
“That’s through a lack of research and a lack of funding.”
When asked whether true gender equality was possible in sport, Ennis-Hill replied: “Yeah, I think it’s changing. We still have a long way to go on that road.”
The mother-of-two explained that pregnancy had impacted her career and added that she felt she went into it “naively”.
Ennis-Hill added: “I probably naively went into it all thinking that, actually, I’ll have a little break, have my son, then just carry on training, get into it all and it will just fit hand in hand.
“But as soon as you have your first child, you change completely. I wasn’t the same person.
“I was still very driven and I still wanted to finish my career. But I didn’t want to do it at the expense of not seeing my son and having quality time with him.”
She said there was a lack of pregnancy guidance in sport and described it as “a bit of a grey area”.
Ennis-Hill added that she was judged in a different way as a woman returning to sport after having a child than a male athlete would be.
The Sheffield-born athlete added: “I do think that, as a woman, you feel judged in a different way than a man having his first child and coming back to sport.
“Someone who works at the track, I remember them just looking at me thinking, ‘What are you doing?’ and ‘You shouldn’t be running’.
“I think, as a female athlete, when you come back, there are a lot of questions. Whereas a male athlete coming back after having his first child? It’s like, ‘let’s just crack on’.”
Ennis-Hill will feature on the front cover of Women’s Health when its next issue is released on Tuesday, July 2.
