Balancing inclusion and compliance in collegiate sports

DEI in collegiate athletics

A campus community that exemplifies diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) principles is representative of society and its range of social and ethnic backgrounds as well as different gender identities and sexual orientation. Colleges and universities across the nation recognize the importance of DEI and many have included these principles as part of their strategic plans and priorities. However, for its DEI initiatives to be effective, an institution must embed DEI as part of its culture, which is often a difficult challenge for leadership.

Collegiate athletics, in varying degrees, may influence an institution’s culture and the way it is perceived both internally and externally. Athletics is one of the most, if not the most, visible areas on campus. Like the rest of campus, athletic departments stand to benefit from the unique perspectives and solutions that a wholly representative group brings. Athletic programs, like their college campuses, are often comprised of many different cultures, backgrounds and experiences. It is important that the spaces where students spend the most time are just as inclusive as the broader campus environment.

Participating in athletics at an individual level promotes self-esteem and a sense of community. When an athlete resides within an environment that supports athletics coupled with an inclusive culture, the student, and the broader campus community benefit exponentially. For example, locker room dynamics and the ability of a team and its coaches to come together because of and despite their differences is critical to the success of an athletic program. In other words, a team’s ability to foster inclusion and a profound sense of community within its own program is equally as important as having talented athletes on the roster. In many ways, athletics, when it intentionally creates an environment where athletes, coaches and administrators feel seen and valued, can set an example for an institution and its faculty, students and staff.

More than a decade ago, the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) adopted a formal statement affirming its commitment to diversity, inclusion and gender equity among its student athletes, coaches and administrators. This statement has since been amended to expand to other dimensions of diversity, such as gender identity and expression.

Transgender inclusion in the NCAA

Inclusion efforts, in virtually any space, are not without risk and consequences. For example, what happens when the goals of inclusion and fairness in athletic competition appear to conflict? This was the case when a transgender swimmer for a prominent university’s women’s swim team became the face of a heated debate on transgender women participating in women’s sports during the 2021-2022 competition season.