Betclic "Aims Upwards" with InspiringInternational Women's Day Video

Mar. 08, 2024

"What if you focused on a real career? You don't have what it takes for all of that. This won't get you anywhere. Are you really going to continue now that you're a mother?" It's 2024, and these are just some of the phrases still heard by women who choose to pursue careers in sports. And so, "when they point their finger at you, aim upwards" – that's what Betclic proposes this International Women's Day in a film featuring basketball player Márcia Costa as the protagonist.

Crafted especially for the Portuguese athlete, elected Player of the Decade 2010-20 in the Portuguese League, the film – created by the creative agency Funnyhow – confronts some of the issues that continue to be raised as obstacles in the professional journey of women. Multiple workloads, unequal pay, mental overload, insecurity in public spaces, aesthetic pressure – the list of challenges faced by women in practicing and professionalizing in sports is extensive, demonstrating that being a woman in sports is still an act of resistance in a predominantly male-oriented universe.

Marcia said:

"If young athletes start to see more women succeeding in making basketball a profession, automatically, they feel that their hobby could one day be their career. We have to provide structures to clubs so that athletes can have employment contracts, so that the fact of being mothers is not a problem and so on."

 

Added to the stereotypes and prejudices that still persist are the difficulties in supporting sports, ranging from basic conditions to the encouragement of professionals themselves. For example, referees earn less in Women's Basketball League games than in Men's.

Questions Marcia:

"I had to create my own conditions, I had to show myself available to train extra so that I could value my work and justify the investment that my club would make. The structure should be ready to challenge athletes to be professionals and not for them to take a leap into the void. If everything is already so prepared for men, why not transport that formula to women and adjust where needed?"

 

Since 2021, Betclic has been sponsoring both the Men's and Women's National Basketball Leagues with an equal financial commitment and has as one of its objectives not only to continue, but also to increase the prominence and voice of these women with actions during the seasons and in its communication.

Empowering, the message of the film is clear. Despite so many challenges and critical fingers pointed, may all women have the courage to always aim upwards, to live their full potential.

Marcia Costa

Despite professionalizing herself at a later age compared to what is usual in men's basketball, the 34-year-old Portuguese athlete boasts a resume that speaks for itself: the basketball player from G.D.ESSA was the Player of the Decade 2010-20 in the Betclic Women's League and is one of the references of the National Team. In addition, Márcia Costa holds a degree in Physical Education and is a mother - the latter being one of the issues that is often raised as "problematic" in reconciling personal life with the demanding schedule of a high-performance athlete.

The Numbers of Gender (In)equality in Portuguese Sports

According to a 2021 study by IPDJ (Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth) on gender equality in sports in Portugal, there is still much work to be done to increase women's representation and make sports a safe place for everyone.

The study points out that only 4% of the presidents of federations with Olympic sports are women and vice presidents are also a tiny number: 16%. When it comes to practitioners, the balance tilts back to the male side: only 30% of sports practitioners affiliated with federations with Olympic sports are women. Among these same federations, the study highlights that only 22% have an action plan to prevent and combat gender-based violence in sports.