The issue of gender inequality in India has once again emerged, this time within the realm of sports, as highlighted by Janneke Schopman, the coach of the Indian women’s hockey team and a former Olympic gold medallist. In a recent interview with the Indian Express, Schopman, a 46-year-old former member of the top field hockey team of the Netherlands, expressed her concerns about the unequal treatment of women in the country, both within the sphere of sports and society at large.
Schopman emphasized the lack of respect and value afforded to women, particularly in male-dominated sports such as hockey and cricket. Being the first woman to coach an Indian national hockey team, she has personally experienced the disparities that exist between the treatment of male and female athletes.
The palpable disparities in the treatment of male and female athletes, as well as the lack of support and recognition from the Indian hockey establishment, have prompted Schopman’s criticisms. From unequal pay and training facilities to inadequate media coverage, female athletes in India continue to face barriers that hinder their success and recognition in the sporting arena.
Moreover, Schopman lamented the lack of respect and recognition she received from Hockey India, the sport’s governing body in the country, and highlighted the contrast between her experiences in India and the reverence for women she has experienced in her native Netherlands and during her time in the United States.
Since assuming the role of head coach of the women’s team after the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Schopman has encountered numerous challenges, including feeling undervalued and not taken seriously. Despite her efforts to lead the team to success, they failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics, an outcome she believes may be linked to the lack of support and recognition from the Indian federation.
Schopman’s comments shed light on the systemic barriers that female athletes continue to face in India and underscore the urgent need for stakeholders in Indian sports to address these concerns and strive towards creating a more equitable and supportive environment for women in sports.
In her capacity as the coach of the Indian women’s hockey team, Schopman’s perspective adds an important dimension to the ongoing discourse about gender inequality in sports. Her experiences highlight the pressing need for concrete measures to level the playing field for female athletes in India. Only through concerted efforts and a commitment to change can the barriers of gender inequality be dismantled, allowing women in sports to thrive and succeed on their own merits.