Soha Ramzan
The participation of women in sports is an imperative issue today, particularly in developing countries where women’s rights and authority are severely repressed. This subject is gaining momentum in global research discourse, especially in times when gender inclusiveness is a crucial topic. This research study aims to determine the factors influencing the sport participation tendency of female student-athletes in universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province in Pakistan. Out of the 38 universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 270 female athletes were randomly selected from 18 universities. A structured questionnaire, developed after a thorough literature review and expert guidance, was used to collect relevant data. The scoring procedure was based on the 5-point Likert scale, and after omitting incomplete forms, 250 valid questionnaires were retained for data analysis. To test hypotheses, statistical tests including mean, standard deviation, and one-sample t-test were applied. The findings revealed that women’s participation in sports significantly decreased (p < .05) due to various factors, including parental considerations, social pressures, cultural standards, and coaching and preparation.In conclusion, the study suggests ways to enhance women athletes’ participation in sports, especially in the conservative areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, addressing parental concerns and societal and cultural norms. Additionally, the findings emphasize the substantial impact of coaching and training practices as motivating factors for athletic efforts and accomplishments.
