Nakaayi decries unequal support for female athletes

Halima Nakaayi is one of the world’s most prominent female athletes. Her gold medal in the 800m at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, cemented her place among the greatest athletes, not just in Uganda but globally.

Yet, despite her remarkable achievements, Nakaayi is not immune to the challenges faced by female athletes worldwide.

In 2019, Uganda celebrated two gold medalists at the World Athletics Championships: Joshua Cheptegei in the 10,000m and Halima Nakaayi in the 800m. However, Nakaayi has voiced concerns about the unequal treatment she received compared to her male counterpart. She believes that while both athletes put in equal effort and dedication to bring glory to their country, male athletes often receive greater recognition and rewards.

“Culturally, men are placed above women, but I wouldn’t want to see this in sports,” Nakaayi stated. “The recognition female athletes receive is significantly less than men, even when the medals are won at the same event.”

Beyond sports, Nakaayi highlights another challenge female athletes face: finding supportive and understanding partners. She explains that the demanding nature of professional athletics makes it difficult for many women to find partners who fully support their careers.

“To find an understanding partner, you must be very lucky. As an athlete, you need someone who supports and understands your career. That’s why many marriages involving female athletes fail due to misunderstandings,” Nakaayi lamented.

Despite these challenges, Nakaayi takes pride in the women who have broken barriers in sports. However, she continues to advocate for equal recognition and support for female athletes, emphasizing the disparities in sponsorship and financial backing.

“Women still need support from all spheres of society. Just look at how sponsorship is allocated; men may receive 100 million Ugandan Shillings, while women receive only 10 million. That’s the imbalance I’m talking about,” Nakaayi explained. “Many women have won gold medals for the country, yet they’ve never received commercial deals, not even from companies specializing in women’s products.”

Nakaayi’s call for equality goes beyond recognition. She is pushing for female athletes to receive the support, sponsorships, and opportunities they deserve. She remains hopeful that with continued advocacy, change will come, and women in sports will finally be celebrated on the same level as their male counterparts.