Sport, Diversity, and Inequality: Intersecting Challenges and Solutions

Structural changes, growing diversity, the dissolution of boundaries in media and communication, the individualisation of lifestyles, and increased mobility in a globalised world have led to more diversity in all areas of society. This has been accompanied by fundamental changes that have privileged market-based approaches and reduced government provision of social services, leading to growing inequality both within and between countries. Against this background, it is imperative to understand how inequality manifests itself within sport and physical activity and how sport can be (re)oriented to combat social inequality. This chapter discusses how inequality takes form in sport and presents specific examples from a gender-focused lens. It then critically discusses how sport can help challenge inequalities and concludes by highlighting the importance of training sport educators to address inequality and other social issues.