The intervention of sports funding policies in the female permanence in sport: the case of Brazilian swimming

Resumo

Introduction: Although female participation in the Olympic Games has increased over time, this is not always the reality of Brazil. Specifically, with respect to swimming, even though the number of practitioners and competitors has increased over time, it is still possible to verify paradigms related to the presence of females in this sport. Aim: Based on this question, this study aimed to analyze the intervention of sports funding policies in the female permanence in Brazilian swimming. Methods: To perform the analysis, a sample of 324 participants (181 male participants and 143 female participants), including athletes and former athletes of swimming in Brazil, were selected randomly through the completion of an online questionnaire. When the interventions of sports funding policies for females in swimming are analyzed, the existence of financial subsidies contributes to continuity in the modality, increasing the age and category of abandonment of the athletes. However, compared with the male universe, this influence occurs less intensely, considering that in the case of the male gender, the financial resource manifested itself more decisively. Conclusion: This finding may indicate that it is not the absence of financial resources that make women not continue in sport but rather the existence of other sociocultural factors linked to difficulties related to the female gender, a consequence of the entire historical process related to female sports practice in Brazil.