Designing a Gender Equality Model in Iranian Sports (with Emphasis on Championship and Professional Sports)

The purpose of this study was to design a model of gender equality in Iranian sports (with emphasis on championship and professional sports).  The present research method was qualitative with grounded theory approach (data theory). Data collection was done by reviewing the theoretical foundations and research backgrounds and semi-structured interviews with 11 knowledgeable experts. The statistical population included faculty members of sports science and sociology, female athletes and coaches active at the championship and professional levels, directors of the Ministry of Sports and Youth, the National Olympic Committee, sports federations, and provincial and city sports delegations. Sampling was performed theoretically and after 11 interviews, the resulting theoretical saturation and model framework were formed. The validity of this study was reviewed and confirmed by the researcher and the interviewees. In order to measure the quality of the coding, the agreement method between the two coders based on Cohen's kappa coefficient (0.79) was used. Data analysis was performed using three steps of open, axial and selective coding.  In the causal conditions section, 3 central categories (justice and equality, egalitarian movements, fundamental intellectual developments), background conditions, 4 central categories (regulatory approaches, cognitive approaches, normative approaches, value approaches), interventionist conditions, 6 categories Axis (injustice and discrimination, religious stagnation, sexism, flawed governance structures, historical and traditional stances, marginalization), strategies 4 central categories (structural strategies, organizational strategies, support strategies, executive strategies), and in the consequences section 3 The central category (individual consequences, organizational consequences, socio-cultural consequences) was extracted.  Gender perspective should be removed from sports with respect to central justice and the belief in the ability of women in sports should be institutionalized. In this regard, governance, politics, laws and regulations, religion, management and education systems and the media can be the basis for this. Also, benefiting from the influence of political and religious institutions, supporting international institutions, increasing financial resources and civil struggles are all among the appropriate strategies for achieving gender equality in sports.