Restrictions on Pakistani Female Students’ Participation in Sports: A Statistical Model of Constraints

Abstract

Previous studies have made a significant contribution to the modeling of constraints on women’s sports participation, including religious and cultural issues, gender inequality, and socio-cultural restrictions, especially in Muslim countries. However, there is still a knowledge gap in this field. Using the survey method with stratified random sampling (strata), data were collected from the colleges of four provinces in Pakistan. After eliminating defective (missing data and duplication) samples, 687 valid questionnaires were retained. The eight most common influencing factors for sports participation among Pakistani female students were then incorporated into a constraints model in the context of feminism in sports theory, which was validated using AMOS 24. The results suggested the following measures: introducing sports activities and female coaches in schools; the government provision of female-only facilities; removing the misconception that Islam is an anti-sports religion; raising awareness among female students and their parents about sports benefits; and using the concept of negotiation to overcome these constraints. According to the results of the present study, we conclude that providing women-only facilities, spreading the correct meaning of religion (Islam), and raising awareness among women and their parents could enhance female students’ sports participation in Pakistan to a great extent.