While we’ve had many amazing female players in history, there exist sports that have little to no representation of women. These male-dominated sports persist even today, when women’s participation in sports is more than ever. This trend is highly due to gender barriers, stereotypes, and historical and cultural factors that often sideline female athletes. But what are the most male-dominated sports ever? Let’s take a look.
4 Most Male-Dominated Sports
Motorsports
Motosports, including F1 and other high-speed racing disciplines, are among the most male-dominated sports globally. While women are present as engineers, team members, and strategists, there is an absence of female drivers due to the physically demanding nature of the sport. Moreover, there is a lack of visible role models for the upcoming generation, which creates a gender gap that makes women a rare sight in motorsports.
American Football
American football, especially at the professional level (NFL), is almost exclusively male. No woman had ever played in an NGL regular-season game. While women have participated as kickers in college football and have been signed for pre-season or practice rounds, none of them have made it to the field for an official NFL match.
The most notable female presence in the NFL has been in coaching and other roles, such as Sarah Thomas, who was the league’s first female official, and Katie Sowers, who was the first woman to coach a Super Bowl. However, women remain absent from the main stage, making it one of the most male-dominated sports.
Ski-Jumping
For decades, ski jumping has not only been the most male-dominated sport but also outright closed to all women at the Olympic level. Women were only allowed to compete in Olympic ski jumping in 2014, and even now, the number of female participants remains scarce. Women are not permitted to compete in a large hill event at the Olympics even now, and many disciplines remain exclusive to men.
The first Olympic women’s ski jumping gold medallist was Carina Vogt in 2014, but despite the breakthrough, the sport continues to face criticism for limited women’s representation.
Major League Basketball
Major League Basketball remains the pinnacle of male exclusivity. No woman has ever played an MLB game. While women have played professionally in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during the 1940s-50s and also participated in other baseball leagues, the MLB is yet to see a female player.
The closest breakthrough came when the pitcher Ila Borders played in the men’s independent league in the late 1990s, but never at the MLB level. Kim Ng made history as the first female general manager in MLB with the Miami Marlins in 2020; however, the on-field representation remains absent, making it one of the most male-dominated sports ever.
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