Women in Sport

Issue 78 Year 2007 WomenWomen inin sportsport GERNIKA, INTERNATIONAL CITY OF PEACE AURKIBIDEA / TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 • Aurkezpena From spectators to athletes GAURKO GAIAK / CURRENT EVENTS: Basque women in sport 4 • Women in sport: what does it all mean? Clara Urdangarin Liebaert 6 • Getxo Women’s Rugby Club: 28 players show their conviction 8 • Akaba Bera Bera, competitive handball Women in sport 10 • The girls from Athletic, four-time GERNIKA, INTERNATIONAL CITY OF PEACE champions 12 • Women at the top: Edurne Pasaban, mountaineer, and Mikele Irazusta, tennis player 14 • Olympic Basque Women gear up for Beijing: Naroa Agirre, Leire Olaberria and María López de Eguílaz Issue 78. alea - Year 2007. urtea 18 • Soccer is no longer a man’s game. Ana Urquijo, first woman to head the Athletic Club de Bilbao Azaleko argazkia/ Front cover photograph: Mikel Arrazola EUSKAL GAZTEAK MUNDUAN 20 • Michelle Alzola and Ruth Guimerà EGILEA / AUTHOR Eusko Jaurlaritza-Kanpo Harremanetarako Idazkaritza Nagusia / Gobierno Vasco-Secretaría OFFICIAL ACTIVITIES ABROAD Gemeral de Acción Exterior / Basque Government-General 22 • Sculpting Human Rights in Colombia Secretariat for Foreign Action 23 • Chilean Minister of SERNAM, Laura Albornoz, visits Euskadi C/ Navarra, 2 01007 VITORIA- 24 • The Lehendakari receives government delegation from the province of GASTEIZ Telephone: 945 01 79 00 Buenos Aires [email protected] 25 • Cooperation agreements signed between Villa Mercedes and Ordizia ZUZENDARIA / DIRECTOR Josu Legarreta Bilbao KOORDINAKETA ETA IDAZKETA EUSKADITIK Kazeta5 Komunikazioa [email protected] 26 • Gernika, international city of peace, on the 70th anniversary of the bombardment ARGITARATZAILEA / PUBLISHER Eusko Jaurlaritzaren Argitalpen 28 • The Basque Parliament gives the green light to the Zerbitzu Nagusia Etxepare Institute Servicio Central de Publicaciones del Gobierno Vasco 29 • Pilar Manjón and Adrián Celaya receive Manuel de Irujo Award DISEINU ETA MAKETAZIOA Didart INPRIMATZAILEA / PRINTING RGM, S.A. CUISINE ISSN: 1579-4229 31 • Bittor Arginzoniz – Restaurante Etxabarri L.G./L.D.: BI-1090-01 Oysters AurkezpenaOpening letter Director of Relations with Basque JOSU LEGARRETA Communities From spectators to athletes s women have become a run, or a nice long walk; they take Basque women took place in Seoul more visible in the public advantage of their community sport during the 1988 summer games, arena, the workplace and center, sign up at a private gym, or where Blanca Lacambra and Ain politics, their go for a bike ride. Proof of this can Maite Zúñiga competed in leadership in sports has also be seen in the large numbers of Athletics. Ainhoa Ibarra later become more widespread and women who use the “bide-gorris” or competed in the winter games held accepted. In very little time women bike paths that have been in Calgary.We should also mention have gone from being passive constructed in towns across spectators to active players. Today Euskadi. And the number of girls that 1984 Summer Olympics in nobody is shocked or surprised at and women who are regulars at the Los Angeles, two Basque women seeing a woman playing rugby, municipal swimming pools confirms from Baiona competed with the basketball or soccer, all of which that swimming has no age limits. French rowing team: Helene until fairly recently were With the creation of subsidies Ledoux and Lydie Dubedat. considered “rather unfeminine.” for high-level athletes, the Basque Also worthy of praise is the In Euskadi 27,288 women over Government has contributed, to a fact that two of the Basque the age of 14 are members of a certain extent, to increasing the sportswomen have taken part in sports federation, accounting for number of young people who make four Olympic Games, which is no 18.5% of total federation sport their profession. In 2006, 34 less than remarkable.These women membership. But there are also women benefited from the are Ainhoa Ibarra in skiing and countless numbers of women who subsidies, accounting for 57% of Maider Tellería in field hockey. So know that sport contributes to the total recipients of healthy living and who dedicate a the government-sponsored aid far, women have participated in certain amount of time every day to program. thirteen Olympic sports events, physical activity, whether The number of elite Basque with field hockey being the most individually or as a group. They put sportswomen has been on the rise. outstanding in terms of both on their sweat suits and go out for The first Olympic appearance for participation and results. Issue 78 Year 2007 GAURKO GAIAK 3 EUSKAL EMAKUMEAK ETA KIROLA Women in sport: what does it all mean? [Clara URDANGARIN LIEBAERT]* ot even in his wildest dominated fiefdom of sport, an dreams could Pierre Azken boladan gure elitist club with restricted de Coubertin have admission. In spite of the Nimagined how gizartean gertatu diren changes that have taken place in important the Olympic Games our society in recent decades, would one day become around aldaketak gorabehera, kirol sport is still a man’s realm, a the world. Men and women of praktika, oraindik ere, place where – let’s face it – different races, religious beliefs women still play the role of and social statuses vie for the gizonezkoen barruti ia entourage. honor of being among the world’s best. And the fans that esklusiboa da. In saying this, by no means do I follow the events are as varied as want to underestimate the efforts the competitors themselves. we’ve made in the world of Watching Nadia Comaneci, women’s sport, nor shatter our Joane Somarriba, Gemma Mengual, the Williams sisters illusions. Quite the contrary: I just feel we need to say and a long list of other extraordinary athletes on our it like it is, and face the cold, hard truth of the matter. television screens has been a major step forward in Women today still stand in the shadow of a male balancing the scales between men and women in sports. dominated world of sport. It is hard for women to Long gone are the days of the role played by women, as compete with men in the same sports and categories, described by the man who conceived the modern and the sports in which we do traditionally excel, such Olympics: simple spectators who watched and as synchronized swimming or rhythmic gymnastics, applauded, enthralled by the prowess of the young male are few in number and carry less prestige. athletes. Our problems in gaining full access to the world of However, we shouldn’t forget that what seems so sport cover a broad range, most of which are rooted obvious today is the culmination of long, hard work in society. If we take a look at the types of things our and dedication by specific groups of women. We may grandmothers did for fun when they were young, we have come a long way, but the road today is anything find that most of them were limited to cooperative but smooth; we are still having to overcome many activities, mainly circle games and dances. The hurdles. First of all, we have to have confidence in reasons they practiced these particular activities were ourselves to meet the challenge. We need to conquer closely associated with their place in society as greater appreciation from society from the male etxekoandre or housewife. The women were in charge 4 CURRENT EVENTS Issue 78 Year 2007 WOMEN IN SPORT of organizing and managing the powerwalking, hiking, bodybuilding cooperative entity known as the Gizartearen bilakaerak and belly dancing are just some of family, and their job began at an the activities taking the place of early age.They seldom went out into eta emakumeen funtzio yesteryear’s entertainment. These the public arena to negotiate or berriek beste eremu types of physical activities are compete with their equals, as those closely linked to aesthetics and tasks were set aside exclusively for batzuk ireki dizkigute; health. They are little more than their male counterparts. The men gizonen esparrua reinventions of earlier more were the ones in charge of traditional models, fashions that defending the honor of their houses inguratzen zuten are difficult to escape and with and families, by engaging in sports- harresiak deseginez which we feel close cultural ties. At related challenges and representing the same time, women are showing the family interests in economic and joan dira. a keen interest in co-ed activities social affairs. and sports played alongside men. Who hasn’t hiked to the top of the Society has evolved, as has the role mountain with the rest of the gang, of women, both of which have opened up new spaces. or hopped on her bike to enjoy the beautiful Basque The walls that once surrounded the spaces set aside countryside, far from the world of competition or for men have gradually crumbled, making way for a social pressure inherent in mass-media sports? Many new lifestyle and new roles and responsibilities for women still clearly prefer to laugh and play in their both genders. Today, the younger generations of boys free time, and to take part in physical activities where and girls not only play at home with their younger they can relax and enjoy other people’s company. brothers and sisters or with groups of friends. They also learn to play with and against one another in But ... let’s give some thought to women and sport. public places, whether it be the fronton, the town The world of physical activity need not follow the square, or even the soccer stadium. Most of the forays same guidelines that have been defined by men. In into this territory are made on a small scale, usually fact, when competitiveness as a universal value is in local competitions and with limited coverage.

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