Building cultural diversity in sport: a critical dialogue with Muslim women and sports facilitators

This paper draws upon focus groups with 38 Muslim women and 14 sports facilitators to explore the opportunities and constraints for Muslim women's participation in sport and active recreation in Aotearoa New Zealand. The paper highlights the (mis)understandings between Muslim women and sports organisations as to the needs, barriers and strategies for building sport as more culturally inclusive. Bringing the voices of Muslim women and facilitators together into critical dialogue, we reveal important inconsistencies between perceived barriers. We also highlight the important work some individuals are doing to develop inclusive spaces for ethnic minorities. Ultimately, this research demonstrates the importance of cultural awareness, and the need for multicultural training initiatives across sports organisations to improve practice and policy.