A new study reveals that women working as coaches in the UK face significantly higher rates of bullying, harassment, and aggression compared with their male counterparts. The findings, based on a survey of 2,000 coaches and senior sports leaders, highlight persistent gender inequalities in sports leadership and the urgent need for systemic change.
Key Findings: Bullying and Harassment
According to the research conducted by Women in Sport in partnership with Leeds Beckett University, 30% of women coaches reported experiencing bullying, compared with 15% of men. Women also reported higher levels of harassment, with 21% saying they had experienced harassment versus 12% of men.
The study further revealed that aggression and intimidation—often involving verbal abuse or physical threats—affected 22% of women, compared with 19% of men.
The report concluded that “sports coaching in the UK is a hostile environment for women,” with many women feeling forced to leave roles due to “less security, less support, and greater risks.”
Who Are the Perpetrators?
The survey highlighted that the primary sources of harassment for women coaches are often fellow coaches, while aggression and intimidation frequently come from parents of athletes.
Notably, the research found that bullying increases with career progression:
- 26% of women experienced bullying at grassroots level
- 38% at talent pathway levels
- 46% at high-performance settings, where women are often heavily outnumbered
Structural Inequalities in Coaching Roles
The study also examined wider gender disparities in coaching employment:
- Men are almost twice as likely as women to hold permanent, full-time coaching positions
- Women are disproportionately in unpaid roles, zero-hours contracts, or working without formal agreements
- Only 12% of women reported receiving regular feedback, compared with 41% of workforce leaders claiming feedback is routinely given
- Women are 18% less likely than men to feel their opinions are heard and respected, with the gap widening at higher levels of sport
Reporting and Trust Issues
Despite 95% of organisations claiming to have zero-tolerance policies for bullying and harassment, women often avoid reporting perpetrators due to low trust in current reporting systems.
“Women are not yet accepted as equal in sport, nor in leadership roles,” said Stephanie Hilborne, CEO of Women in Sport.
“If sport wants a coaching workforce fit for the future, it must implement anti-misogyny policies and training, and tackle the structures and cultures that allow inequality to persist.”
Calls for Action: Cultural and Structural Change
The report recommends a series of measures to address the hostile environment faced by women coaches:
- Introduce anti-misogyny policies across all sports levels, supported by training and education
- Establish independent and trusted reporting mechanisms to allow safe reporting of bullying or harassment
- Implement gender-impact reporting and gender budgeting to identify pay gaps, unequal investment in coaching development, and expense disparities
- Ensure gender-balanced leadership with transparent annual reporting on senior management composition
- Promote long-term cultural change to create a safer, more equitable environment for women coaches
Chris Boardman, Chair of Sport England, said the findings are a “clear wake-up call,” noting that women and girls still face barriers at every level of sport—from safety fears to online abuse and workplace bullying.
Conclusion
The study paints a stark picture: women coaches in the UK are twice as likely to face bullying, more likely to experience harassment or aggression, and often underrepresented in permanent or leadership roles. Experts emphasize that tackling these issues requires long-term systemic change, backed by policies, training, and structural reforms that protect women and empower them to thrive in coaching careers.
“The findings make it clear: sport must evolve to ensure women can work safely, confidently, and equally,” said Hilborne.
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