Achieving Optimal Team Performance through Gender Inclusiveness in Sports Administration in Nigeria

Abstract

Gender roles and gender stereotype are social constructs and presumably, could influence the number of females that should be occupying administrative positions in organisations. In a patriarchal society such as Nigeria, such stereotype could lead to over representation of males in sports. The study, therefore, sought to examine if gender inclusiveness in the sports officials/administrators of a team could yield better performance of the team. Secondary data of the seventy-six universities that formally registered with the Local Organising Committee and participated in the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA 2022), which was hosted by the University of Lagos was used. Descriptive and inferential analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 26). The result shows a positive correlation between number of female officials and total number of medals won at the NUGA competition (r = .607, p < 0.01). Also, linear regression shows that an addition female official in a team, increases the total medals won by three (3). There is therefore, need to engage stakeholders in sports on the need for gender inclusiveness in sports in other to achieve optimal team performance.