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The second sport By Ariel Rubinsky Tags: Israel Sports, Israel News Some 1,800 runners will be joining the Tiberias Marathon and the 10-kilometer run this Thursday. Only some 200 of them are women - a ratio that recurs in every amateur and professional sport. There are many reasons for this underrepresentation, including unequal investment in resources favoring men's sports, preconceived notions, and insufficient support from both home and surroundings. But beyond that, experts also note another significant reason why girls stop doing sports at a young age and why women have a hard time integrating into standard sports frameworks: The approach toward a sportsman - mostly on the emotional and health-related side - is set by masculine modes that fail to take into account the special needs of women. "One of the main reasons girls don't get into sports is body image," says Omrit Yanilov-Eden, the director of the women's project at the Olympic Committee's unit for competitive sport. "The muscular body image is seemingly a male one, and quite a few girls quit sports because their shoulders get broader, and because of offensive comments from their social surroundings. A positive body image has to be reinforced," she continues. "It should be stressed that not everyone has to be thin and fragile, and that doing sports has numerous benefits on every level, such as mental perseverance, stamina to withstand pressure, independence at a young age - all of them positive qualities that benefit everyone, regardless of their sex." Advertisement A year ago, the Olympic Committee initiated a nationwide project to promote women in sport. One of its slogans is "a female athlete is not a sportsman who happens to be a woman, but a woman who engages in sport." The idea is that in order for women to meet their inherent sports potential, their special needs as women and sportswomen - as opposed to those of sportsmen - need to be recognized and respected. These special needs should be addressed and the system adjusted accordingly, so it will highlight women's advantages and address their weak points. "You have to recognize the uniqueness of women and respect the differences," says Yanilov-Eden. To do so, she says, requires a comprehensive revolution at all levels, starting with the sports facilities in schools and ending with adequate female representation in all sports institutions. In other countries, she says, projects to promote women in sports had a favorable impact - not only on the number of medals won by professional sportswomen, but also on the overall culture of women's sports. As proof she cites the Title Nine Law enacted in the United States in 1971, which requires that sports resources be allocated equally between men and women. For years, this regulation boosted the number of women active in sports in the U.S. "When you allocate resources equally, the retirement age is pushed back and many women continue to engage in sport even after retirement," Yanilov-Eden says. In her mind, it is important to support or collaborate with the different ventures of outstanding sportswomen, even once they have passed their prime or retired from professional sport. "An athlete like Yael Arad, for example, is a model for many girls and women even beyond the realm of judo." In early December, an international conference of local and foreign experts was held in Herzliya. The conference discussed three issues related to the training of sportswomen: irregular eating habits, ethics involved in the coach-trainee relationship, and the medical aspects of training women. "These subjects are relevant to the entire population active in sports," says Yanilov-Eden. She mentions the problem of irregular eating habits among female athletes: Extreme weight loss can make a woman lose her period and may later lead to a loss of bone density and the development of osteoporosis at a young age. "Insufficient nutrition, relative to the weight the body carries in training, creates a negative balance of energy, which may upset the menstrual cycle," says Dr. Naama Konstantini, the director of the Center for Sports Medicine at Hadassah Optimal. She says she met dancers, a field where starvation diets are common, who at the age of 30 have the bone density of women aged 60 and 70. "An eating disorder is not something obvious, it's a kind of secret. That's why it's important for coaches to be alert and aware - they have to realize that thinness is not necessarily always an asset for an athlete. It is important to do periodic blood tests, check iron reserves and pay careful attention to any disruptions in the menstrual cycle." Although there are some sports with particularly demanding weight requirements - which are not always justifiable, such as rhythmic gymnastics and sailing - the blame for health problems does not necessarily lie primarily with one or another sports discipline: "There are many women who are obsessively concerned with their weight and who take up sports as part of this same obsession. The sport is not always to blame." Ran Shilon, a running and triathlon coach, says that quite a few middle-aged, undernourished women have approached him. "One of the things we always is do is to teach them how to eat properly," he says, "I've also met overweight women who suffered from severe nutritional insufficiencies, women who for years abused their bodies with all sorts of strange and unusual diets. In some cases, they even damaged themselves, specifically their bone density or metabolism." But he says that at the end of a process that includes proper nutrition and individualized training based on personal goals, "they all do everything, including running a marathon, if that is the goal, but they don't rush. First they strengthen their skeleton and muscles, and learn to eat." Several coaches who attended the conference in Herzliya said sportswomen are more committed to their coach than their male counterparts. "They do whatever he says. And they also do a lot for the coach," says Yanilov-Eden. "The coach is very important, which is why it is so important to maintain a professional ethic in the coach-trainee relationship and to stick to clear boundaries." However, she also mentions the need to engage in a personal relationship with the sportswoman and display sensitivity to her emotional mindset, especially with regard to individual sports. "Many coaches who successfully trained women note the need to pay attention to things beyond the specific sport," she says. "It is necessary to be aware of her feelings, to listen to what she has to say, to compliment her and provide support. And all this needs to be done more frequently than for male athletes. This does not mean the coach has to be soft or act as a father figure constantly. But it does mean that beyond the sport itself, other issues have to be addressed as well. Naturally, all of this must be done while maintaining clear boundaries." "Women are able to communicate much better than men, who often keep a lot of things bottled up inside. Women are able to talk about their difficulties," says Shilon, who trains groups composed of women only. "This format is meant for beginners, so they will start training in a supportive group and won't feel threatened by the men. After they become very fit and aren't afraid to run with men, they join the mixed groups." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Haute advice Sarkozy tells Peres IDF Gaza op does not strengthen Abbas. W speaks Bush says Israel has right to protect itself against Gaza attacks.   1.   Women in sport in Israel 11:23  |  Dan Aronovic 05/01/09   2.   Women and Sports 13:20  |  Lital 05/01/09

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