ABSTRACT
The purpose of the study focused on how social-cultural factors influence women participation in sport in Edo State. The study was guided by the following objectives: to find out If cultural belief influence female participation in sports, If parents influence female participation in sports, how religion influence female participation in sports, if peer group influence female participation in sports, how gender influence female participation in sports in Edo State. The descriptive survey design was employed in this study. The research instrument for data collection was structured questionnaire. The Cluster random sampling procedure for the study to sample five (5) selected tertiary institutions in Edo State by simple random samply techniques of balloting, 133 higher institution students. The data obtained were analyzed using frequency count and simple percentage.
Major findings from the study were summarized as follows: The respondents believe that cultural belief influence female participation in sports, they agree that cultural belief has played a great role in the involvement of women in modern sporting activities. They claims that their parents influence female participation in sports, which ranges from the type of sport they should engage in to the type of life style they want to live in school. Some of the respondents based on their religious doctrines, limit women from engaging in sporting activates. They went further to state that in avoidance of having other members of the team from different religion which often is not allowed within their faith. From the findings of the study, it was concluded that social cultural factors influence women participation in sport.
Based on the findings, the following recommendation were outlined by the research: The Ministry of women affairs, need to carry out orientation across religious lines, to educate and motivate the girl child whose interest lies in sports, the needed platforms where the ministry of youth and sport could provide plain field for women participation in sport. It was also recommended that educational institution provide a parents to school meetings, to guide these parents of the need for them to encourage their daughters interest in sport which will benefit the family and the child in the long run.
