Ghanaian women in sports: Barriers and strategies for improving participation in sports leadership positions in Ghana

Authors

  • Abena Nkrumah Adasa Department of Educational Studies, Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED), Ghana.  https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1835-0199
  • Daniel Apaak Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
  • Stephen Addae Kyekyehene Department of Science, St. Monica's  College of Education, Mampong, Ghana.
  • Jude Domokyile Nayasama C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Navrongo, Ghana.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/sportk.564261
Keywords: Leadership, Sports, Women, Barriers

Abstract

The study explored the barriers that hinder women's participation in sports leadership in Ghana and the effective strategies to overcome the obstacles. Interpretivist research paradigm was adopted. Sample frame was made of women leaders in Ghanaian sports organizations. Data was collected using interview guides, and analyzed with the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The study revealed that institutional barriers and individual mindsets of women in sports were among the most significant factors limiting women’s leadership involvement. Promoting women’s education and fostering a broader shift in organizational culture can lead to increased female representation in professional sports organizations. In conclusion, further quantitative and qualitative research is needed to understand why women’s participation in sports leadership is not adequately reflected in current legislation or outdated sports policies.

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Published
25-10-2025
How to Cite
Nkrumah Adasa, A., Apaak, D., Addae Kyekyehene, S., & Domokyile Nayasama, J. (2025). Ghanaian women in sports: Barriers and strategies for improving participation in sports leadership positions in Ghana. SPORT TK-EuroAmerican Journal of Sport Sciences, 14, 104. https://doi.org/10.6018/sportk.564261
Issue
Vol. 14 (2025)
Section
Articles

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The works and papers that are published in this Journal are subject to the following terms:

1. The Publication Service of the University of Murcia (the publisher) has the Publication Rights (Copyright) to the published papers and works, and favors and permits the reusing of the same under the license indicated in point 2.

© Servicio de Publicaciones, Universidad de Murcia, 2013

2. The papers and works are to be published in the digital edition of the Journal under the license Creative Commons Reconocimiento-No Comercial-Sin Obra Derivada 3.0 España (legal text). The copying, using, spreading, transmitting and publicly displaying of the papers, works or publication are permitted as long as: i) the authors and original sources (Journal, publisher and URL of the publication) are quoted; ii) it is not used for commercial benefit; iii) the existence and specifications of this users license are mentioned.

3. Conditions of Self-Archiving. It is permitted and encouraged that the authors spread electronically the pre-print (before printing) and/or post-print (the revised, evaluated and accepted) versions of their papers or works before their publication since this favors their circulation and early diffusion and therefore can help increase their citation and quotation, and also there reach through the academic community.