On the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11, the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) reaffirms its commitment to promoting and providing free access to sports, without any gender discrimination.
Among the various projects developed over the years by the Italian rugby governing body to support the development of women's rugby, one of the most current is represented by "Woman in Rugby". This Erasmus+ Sport project involves the Italian Rugby Federation, the Romanian Rugby Federation, and the Valsugana Rugby Padova and Sportivo Aurora Baicoi clubs, engaged in promoting sports education while simultaneously fighting any form of discrimination and intolerance, with particular attention to gender equality.
As part of this project, FIR and all involved stakeholders conducted an online survey aimed at better understanding the perception of women's rugby among young athletes and potential players, with the goal of better directing development strategies and positively influencing rugby practice among young girls and women.
The survey, conducted among four different groups of Italian girls (aged 10-13 playing rugby, aged 14-18 playing rugby, aged 10-13 not playing rugby, and aged 14-18 not playing rugby), solidified a positive image of the sport, both in terms of direct participation and in its potential fan base.
However, a general difficulty in accessing rugby outside of FIR-led school projects remains perceived. Particularly among younger generations, biases and gender stereotypes are gradually decreasing, with an increasing number of female athletes receiving positive feedback from family and social contexts regarding their choice to engage in rugby.
click here to read the results of the survey
These achievements have also been thanks to parallel projects by FIR, such as "Rugby for All, Always Active," which specifically promotes women's participation in rugby and aims to bridge the so-called 'gender gap.' These themes have been addressed during rugby events organized by various clubs in Italy, in collaboration with social partners like Terre Des Hommes.
Elisa Giordano, Captain of the National Women's Team and leader of Valsugana, commented: 'We are aware of how the increasing visibility of our sport entails a continuous evolution of our responsibilities towards the movement and the ever-growing number of young women approaching our sport. Wearing the Italy uniform should be the dream for every girl stepping into rugby. The most important message, today as every day, is that rugby is and should increasingly be for everyone. All should experience it with joy and fun, without being limited by any preconceptions or stereotypes. We have made extraordinary strides in recent years, and we must continue on this path to make Women's Rugby, in Italy and globally, an extraordinary tool for real gender equality.
