The physicality of female sport

In recent months I’ve occasionally posted on the Rust about issues affecting women and sport.

As I begin today I must declare the usual caveats that I self-identify as a male – and a pretty ancient one at that – which facts probably contribute to my somewhat old-fashioned views, such as my resistance to arguments that e.g. female sports internationals should automatically be financially-rewarded on a par with their male counterparts.

For me, the nitty-gritty of the business jungle and the human condition naturally dictate that the forms of sport attracting the biggest audiences and followers tend to get paid the most.

Furthermore – whether the intention is to advance the cause of equality or assist disadvantaged minorities – to suggest, or seek to arrange, otherwise is tantamount to madness.

It would be akin to demanding that everyone working in the City should earn similar amounts of money as the most brilliant and astute financiers and merchant bankers in the land – after all, they’re “doing the same job, so it stands to reason, don’t it?” (!?!?).

Or, for example, to me recording myself singing to a karaoke machine – and trust me, you wouldn’t want to hear it – and then claiming that I should be rewarded at the same level as Adele. (“I’m singing, ain’t I? That’s all she’s doing …”).

But I digress.

My intention today is simply to bring to Rusters’ attention a couple of the physical issues coming to the fore in elite female sport now that it is becoming more established, full-time professional and given almost equal prominence in media coverage.

Firstly, strength, stamina, speed and power – attributes naturally associated with male physiology – are similarly at a premium when it comes to female sport and, one might argue, to an extent greater than in male sport.

With both sexes, athletes who are bigger than average and/or who can train hardest and longest tend to be more successful.

It is a fact that instances of serious knee injuries such as ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) damage that often require major surgery are a potential occupational hazard of any male professional football career and chronic knee issues are a well-known and accepted accompaniment of many a footballer’s life after retirement.

My point today is that it is now generally accepted that medical science and research has proven beyond any doubt that women’s bodies are far more susceptible to ACL problems than their male counterparts.

Secondly, women’s rugby.

There have been recent reports in the media of a plan being brought forward in rugby union to look into the establishment of a women’s version of the British and Irish Lions and also the welcome return of the rugby league female version of Super League as the Covid-19 lockdown eases.

One of the biggest issues in both male and female elite rugby at the moment is that of the dangers of concussion – both short and long-term.

Yesterday we learned that women are twice as likely as men to suffer concussion injuries – see here for a link to an article by Sean Ingle detailing the evidence that leading concussion expert Dr Willie Stewart, consultant neuropathologist at the University of Glasgow gave to a Committee of MPs that appears today on the website of – THE GUARDIAN