Bridging the Gap Between Men's and Women's Athletic Training Programs: An Exploration of Ethical Issues Concerning Female Athlete Training

Abstract

This thesis determines insufficiencies in training female athletes exist and presents recommendations for how these insufficiencies should be corrected. This problem is analyzed through a historical and scientific lens and uses information learned from several interviews with current coaching staff regarding female athlete training. Title IX is commonly recognized as the vanguard of women’s athletics, however, it caused unintended consequences female athletes suffer: insufficient representation, discrimination, and commercialization. Research on scientific studies regarding female athletes shows more data are needed to prevent and treat injuries that female athletes experience. However, studies prove that female athletes experience injuries to certain parts of the body more often than men, which makes protecting female athletes an imperative. Coaches have an ethical obligation to train athletes properly, so to ensure that coaches get the training right, I recommend guidelines and standards rooted in bioethics principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, and autonomy. Beneficence calls for coaches to further the best interests of athletes by using the best available skills and knowledge so athletes can perform to the best of their ability, not only athletically, but academically and socially. Autonomy calls for coaches to refrain from coercing athletes. Nonmaleficence calls for coaches to avoid causing harm to athletes. While guidelines rooted in these principles provide an essential framework for athletic programs, enforceable guidelines—standards—make coaches accountable to provide adequate training programs and warrant coaches to make decisions centered around furthering the best interest of the athlete. While these standards do not fix all problems and inequities regarding female athletics, they bring about issues beyond medicine and present improvements which may be necessary to protect all athletes’ health and well-being.