The purpose of this study is to establish the means to understand how female sport endorsers are chosen in advertising - whether the choice is based upon physical appeal or professional career.

Elite and collegiate athletes are subpopulations at increased risk for the development of disordered eating and pathogenic weight management strategies; such risks may extend beyond sport participation into sport retirement. As athletes self-weigh, whether during their time in competitive sport or in retirement, it would be expected that they also experience increases in body dissatisfaction and psychosocial distress. Results suggest both a longitudinal impact, as well as continued cross-sectional relationships between SW and disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. Specifically, former SW (at Time 1) is related to their levels of body satisfaction in relation to the Body factor and the Overall Body at Time 2. Particularly, athletes who weighed themselves 7+ more times a week reported significantly higher levels of body dissatisfaction on the Overall Body factor and the Body factor than retired athletes who did not self-weigh, all other groups did not differ significantly from each other. Cross-sectional relations were found between current (Time 2) SW and Body Satisfaction (Overall Body, and Body factors), Dietary Restraint, and Bulimic Symptomatology. In all cases, those who engaged in SW 7+ times per week had significantly higher scores than all other groups.

This study describes bone mineral index (g/cm²) of the distal and mid forearm, spine and hip in gymnasts/weight trainers, and runners with varying menstrual status. 12 eumenorrheic gymnasts/weight trainers (EGW), 11 eumenorrheic runners (ERU), 8 oligomenorrheic gymnasts/weight trainers (OGW), 3 oligomenorrheic runners (ORU) 4 amenorrheic runners (ARU) and a eumenorrheic control group (EC) of 18 subjects were examined. Bone mineral index (BMI) was measured using single and dual photon absorptiometry. EGW had greater BMI than ARU and EC (spine, hip and distal and mid forearm) and ERU (femur and distal forearm). The ARU were not significantly lower in BMI than the ERU. The ARU were only significantly lower in BMI than the EC at the distal forearm. OGW were not significantly greater in BMI than ORU. The OGW had greater BMI than the ARU (spine, femur and distal forearm), ERU and EC (femur and distal forearm). These results show higher BMI in gymnasts/weight trainers, independent of menstrual status, than in runners and controls.

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Masters Degree of Technology: Public Relations Management, Durban University of Technology, 2010. / During the Apartheid era in South Africa, women were marginalised from sport. The ability to participate in sport in South Africa is intrinsically linked to the political history of the country. Sport played a dynamic role in the struggle against the diabolical system of apartheid in South Africa and has a powerful role to play in the transformation and nation building of South Africa. Women have made great strides in sport in recent years in South Africa and the way in which media portray these sporting achievements is critically important to dislodging negative stereotypes and overcoming discrimination of women in sport. The unfair coverage of women’s sport displays gender based attitudes which systematically disadvantage women’s position in society. Women’s participation in sport has grown dramatically but despite this growth coverage of women in sport remains inferior to that given to men in sport across all media. Media need to acknowledge, promote and celebrate the wealth of talent that there is to be enjoyed by society. Newspaper reports are seldom challenged for not being accurate or truthful. But readers have a right to truthful information and reporting, and being trustworthy to the reader is the basis of good journalism. Media need to collectively reflect a diversity of content to ensure public access to a variety of viewpoints and they should expect societal intervention if the media fail to meet professional standards. The print media has a fundamental role to play in shaping public opinion and undoubtedly have an influence in portraying women in sport in South Africa. This study critically analyses the influence of the print media in portraying women in sport.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to compare training and physiological variables in performance-matched 10 km female and male athletes in order to identify those factors allowing females to compensate for their lower haematocrit and higher % body fat, both of which are disadvantageous to performance. Eight well-trained competitive female runners and eight well-trained competitive male runners participated in the study. They were matched by performance in a controlled 10 km time trial in the field (TT10). Training was monitored in each athlete for seven consecutive days using heart rate monitoring and training diaries. Each athlete gave a muscle biopsy for histological and biochemical analysis. Four maximal tests, two flat and two gradient (8%), were completed by each athlete in order to determine V02max, maximum heart rate and peak treadmill speed (PTS) under each condition. Each athlete also completed two submaximal tests (one flat and one gradient) and a ten minute race pace test, in which the pace was determined by their TT10 performance. These allowed fractional utilization of V02max, HRmax and PTS to be determined, as well as economy. Training data revealed a much greater training volume, both distance run and duration of training, in female athletes (p < 0.05 for distance; p < 0.01 for duration). V02max expressed per kg body mass was significantly higher in males (p < 0.05), however, when expressed per FFM, no difference was found between genders. Female athletes had a significantly greater percent composition of type I fibres and males had significantly more type IIX fibres, possible explanation of gender difference in PTS and contributing factor to equal TT10. The relationships between training, performance and biochemical variables in either gender were very different. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die studie was om die oefening en fisiologiese veranderlikes in 10 km vroue en mans atlete, wat afgepaar was volgens prestasie, te vergelyk om die faktore te indentisifeer wat vroue toelaat om te kompenseer vir hulle lae haematokrit en hoë persent liggaamsmassa, wat albei nadelig is tot prestasie. Agt mededingende vroue hardlopers en agt mededingende mans hardlopers het aan die studie deelgeneem. Hulle was gepaar volgens prestasie in 'n gekontroleerde padwedloop (TTlO). Oefening was gemonitor vir elke atleet vir sewe opeenvolgende dae deur gebruik te maak van harttempo monitors en oefeningsdagboeke. Elke atlleet het 'n spierbiopsie gehad wat histologies en biochemies geanaliseer was. Vier maksimale toetse, twee met 'n gradiënt van 0° en twee met 'n gradiënt van 5° (8%) was deur elke atleet voltooi om V02maks,maksimale harttempo en piek trapmeulspoed (PTS), vir beide situasies te bepaal. Hulle het ook almal twee submaksimale toetse gedoen (een teen 0° gradiënt en een teen 5° gradiënt) sowel as 'n tien minuut wedlooppas toets. Fraksionele benutting van V02maks,HRmaksen PTS was hiervan bepaal asook die ekonomie van elke atleet. Oefeningshoeveelheid ten opsigte van afstand en duur van oefening was baie hoër in vroue atlete (p < 0.05 vir afstand; p < 0.01 vir duur). V02maks uitgedruk per kg liggaamsmassa was aansienlik hoër in mans atlete (p < 0.05), maar uitgedruk per vetvrye massa (FFM) was daar geen verskil tussen geslagte. Vroue atlete het 'n merkwaardige hoër persentasie tipe I spiervesels gehad terwyl mans atlete 'n merkwaardige hoer persentasie tipe IIX spiervesels 'gehad het. Dit mag dalk 'n mootlike verklaring vir die geslagsverskil in PTS en 'n bydraende faktor tot gelyke TTlO wees. Verskillende verhoudings tussen oefening, prestasie en biochemiese veranderlikes was in die twee geslagte gesien.

This study was designed to determine if differences exist between the personalities of injured and non-injured athletes, injured and non-injured athletes in individual sports, and injured and non-injured athletes in team sports. Subjects were forty-three female athletes selected from six intercollegiate teams. The test instrument was the Cattell Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire. Data were analyzed by the two-way analysis of variance. Alpha was .05. Conclusions of the investigation were that the personality of injured athletes does not differ from the personality of non-injured athletes, that non-injured athletes in individual sports are more self-assured than non-injured athletes in team sports, and that the personality of athletes in team sports does not differ from the personality of athletes in individual sports.

The purposes of this study were to (a) investigate differences in self-objectification, self-surveillance, body shame, and flow among female athletes on all-women's and coed ultimate frisbee teams at different competitive levels, and (b) examine the objectification theory model across groups. Participants (n = 112) completed online surveys including a demographic questionnaire, trait and state versions of the Self-Objectification Questionnaire, Body Surveillance and Body Shame subscales of the Objectified Body Consciousness Scale, and the Flow State Scale. No differences in self-objectification, self-surveillance, or body shame were found, although highly competitive athletes experienced more flow than lower competitive teams. Relationships were found between self-objectification, self-surveillance, and body shame, but not for flow, partially supporting the objectification theory model.

This study investigated whether or not a relationship exists between ventilation and oxygen uptake at 40% and 85% of V02 peak intensity in 30 upper body fit and 30 unfit 18- 35-year-old women. The correlations between ventilation and oxygen uptake at 40% of peak intensity for the fit group (r = -.51) and the unfit group (r = -.48) were modestly negative. At 85% intensity the relationship between ventilation and oxygen uptake in the two groups was -.44 and -.66, respectively. The lower correlations between ventilation and oxygen uptake observed at the 85% level of peak intensity among the unfit group could be due to a lower ventilatory threshold (66% = fit; 49% = unfit), lesser local muscle changes, along with reduced lactate and C02 management; all of which would be improved with training.

This study was designed to determine the degree of homophobia, expressed lesbian sexual preference behavior, and attitudes toward lesbianism among the female team sport college athlete and the female team sport recreational player. It was hypothesized that the female team sport college athlete would be less homophobic, would express greater lesbian sexual preference behavior, and would possess more positive attitudes toward lesbianism than the female team sport recreational player. There were 32 female team sport college athletes representing four Utah university/college campuses and one Oregon university/college campus; 37 female team sport recreational players representing four Utah recreational team and two Oregon recreational teams. Data were collected during the months of March through June, 1983. All subjects participating were volunteers. The subjects' ages ranged from 18-35, the mean age being 23.5 years. The instruments used in this study were: 1) Index of Attitudes Toward Lesbians (Guthrie, 1982), 2) Demographic/Social Variable Data (Guthrie, 1982). The research administered the instruments individually to each volunteer, therefore there was a 100% return. Chi-Square Analyses were used and the major results indicated that there were no significant differences in the degree of homophobia, lesbian sexual preference behavior, and positive attitudes toward lesbianism between the two groups. Post hoc analyses of data were performed to determine whether age was a factor in degree of homophobia, the expression of lesbian sexual preference behavior, and the expression of positive attitudes toward lesbianism. These analyses revealed a large percentage of those individuals in the age group 20-24 years expressed non-homophobia, lesbian sexual preference behavior, and positive attitudes towards lesbianism. Since this age group (20-24 years) encompasses a great proportion of the college age women who participate in athletics, it is hypothesized that exposure, involvement, and attitudes concerning lesbianism are noticeably prevalent in the college athletic environment.

Despite significant improvements in the last thirty years, the sporting world remains a masculine domain. Women athletes continue to face inequalities and criticism for crossing traditional gender lines. This study, which was grounded in Foucauldian, postmodern and social constructionist theories and a third wave feminist perspective, examines how women athletes understand gender and how gender, athleticism and body image intersect for them. Eleven women in various stages of their athletic careers participated in in-depth interviews. Women and girls are influenced to participate in sport by family and friends, have local role models, and value the social aspect of sport. They perceive a mismatch between gender norms and their own gender identities, however this mismatch did not create conflict. The women were satisfied with their body image, and their instrumental athletic goals and their physical accomplishments helped them to build positive body image. Finally, sport empowers these athletes, who use sport as a site for resisting and transforming gender norms.