Number of top female athletes in France 2019-2021, by category
The Ministry of Sports establishes a list of high performance athletes before the start of each sport season. In total, nearly 6,000 women participated in high level sports competitions in the 2020/2021 season. However, rather than being part of one high-level athlete group, the French Ministry of Sports has organized several categories according to the level of performance or participation of these athletes in certain competitions.
In France, these categories of sporting excellence are separated into several categories :
- Athletes registered in the Elite and Senior categories are those who have achieved significant results in international competitions, greatly depending on the ranking these athletes have reached during these events. Looking at the development of the categories between the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 seasons, the number of women in the Elite category decreased, in contrast to the Senior category where the number of women reached almost 500. Some of the most prominent representatives, Laure Manaudou or Marie-José Pérec, were part of this list during their sports career.
- The "Relève" category includes athletes who have reached the minimums set by the National Technical Director of certain sport federations.
- The Conversion category includes all athletes who have achieved international performances and are in the process of professional reintegration. In 2021, only 70 women were registered in this category.
- Athletes on the "Collectifs nationaux" list are all athletes who have not achieved the minimum performances mentioned above but who have high potential, are playing for national teams, or are injured. In 2021, nearly 900 women were on this list.
- Finally, the "Espoir" include women who compete at a high level but who do not achieve the minimum performances of the previous categories. In 2021, nearly 3,000 women were on this list.
As less than a century ago, most sports were forbidden to women, it was not until the 1960s that the first woman to run a marathon, Kathrine Switzer, dressed as a man to participate in the 42 kilometer Boston marathon. Since then, every federation in France has its own women's team, even if the members of the sports federations were still largely composed of men in 2018. However, the rate of feminization of the federations is increasing every year.
Nowadays, the battle finds itself in the remuneration of high level athletes as well as in media coverage. The average salary of female players in Division 1 soccer clubs lied at around 3,500 euros per month compared to 20,000 euros for male players at the Stade de Reims, the club with the lowest average salary of the elite.
As far as media coverage is concerned, women's sports are increasingly being broadcasted into French people's living rooms. In 2019, only 36 percent of French people declared that they did not intend to follow the women's soccer world cup.
High-level sportswoman, distinct categories
Some sports such as e-sports are not included in the list, meaning that the categories do not represent all high-levels or professional sportswomen. Only the sports disciplines present at the Olympic Games, Paralympic, universal disciplines such as Rugby XV or motor sports can claim to be integrated into the programs of high-level sport.In France, these categories of sporting excellence are separated into several categories :
- Athletes registered in the Elite and Senior categories are those who have achieved significant results in international competitions, greatly depending on the ranking these athletes have reached during these events. Looking at the development of the categories between the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 seasons, the number of women in the Elite category decreased, in contrast to the Senior category where the number of women reached almost 500. Some of the most prominent representatives, Laure Manaudou or Marie-José Pérec, were part of this list during their sports career.
- The "Relève" category includes athletes who have reached the minimums set by the National Technical Director of certain sport federations.
- The Conversion category includes all athletes who have achieved international performances and are in the process of professional reintegration. In 2021, only 70 women were registered in this category.
- Athletes on the "Collectifs nationaux" list are all athletes who have not achieved the minimum performances mentioned above but who have high potential, are playing for national teams, or are injured. In 2021, nearly 900 women were on this list.
- Finally, the "Espoir" include women who compete at a high level but who do not achieve the minimum performances of the previous categories. In 2021, nearly 3,000 women were on this list.
Women's sports in full development
January 24th is International Women's Sports Day in France. This day is meant to encourage the practice of women's sports as well as its media coverage.As less than a century ago, most sports were forbidden to women, it was not until the 1960s that the first woman to run a marathon, Kathrine Switzer, dressed as a man to participate in the 42 kilometer Boston marathon. Since then, every federation in France has its own women's team, even if the members of the sports federations were still largely composed of men in 2018. However, the rate of feminization of the federations is increasing every year.
Nowadays, the battle finds itself in the remuneration of high level athletes as well as in media coverage. The average salary of female players in Division 1 soccer clubs lied at around 3,500 euros per month compared to 20,000 euros for male players at the Stade de Reims, the club with the lowest average salary of the elite.
As far as media coverage is concerned, women's sports are increasingly being broadcasted into French people's living rooms. In 2019, only 36 percent of French people declared that they did not intend to follow the women's soccer world cup.
