Pragmatics of Female Participation in Football: Sierra Leonean Perspectives

Female participation in football has received increasing attention globally; however, women in many developing football contexts continue to experience barriers that limit their participation as players, coaches, administrators, and officials. In Sierra Leone, limited empirical evidence exists regarding the factors influencing the status and level of female participation in football. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the factors that influence female participation in football in Sierra Leone, with particular focus on female players, referees, coaches, and football administrators. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A sample of 327 respondents was selected from a total population of 1,000 using Slovin’s sample size formula. The sample comprised 286 female football players and 41 female football administrators and officials, including coaches, managers, and referees. Simple random sampling was used to select female football players, while purposive sampling was employed to select female administrators, coaches, and referees. The study utilized questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions as research instruments. The instruments were validated, and reliability tests were conducted prior to data collection. The questionnaire data were cleaned, coded, and analyzed quantitatively, while interview and focus group discussion data were analyzed thematically using a qualitative approach. The response rate was 97%, and the Slovin calculation was based on a 95% confidence level and a 5% margin of error.

Female Participation, Gender Barriers, Sports Policy, football, Sierra Leone

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