Gender bias in Turkish sports: Women’s volleyball team’s travel inequality

The Turkish Women’s National Volleyball Team’s travel to the United States for the 2024 FIVB Volleyball Women’s Nations League matches on a commercial flight in economy class sparked a controversy in the country, highlighting gender discrimination in Turkish sports.

Prominent team players including Ebrar Karakurt, Zehra Güneş and captain Eda Erdem voiced their dissatisfaction with their US flight conditions on their social media, which later sparked a debate.

Karakurt implied a disparity in treatment to different national teams, hinting that other teams, such as the frequently underperforming men’s national football team, often receive special flight accommodations.

Volleyball Federation and Turkish Airlines in a row

Turkish Volleyball Federation (TVF) accused Turkish Airlines (THY) both issuing conflicting statements regarding the travel arrangements.

THY is the women’s team’s official sponsor. 

The federation stated that it is restricted by regulations from purchasing Business Class tickets and had requested support from THY, which reportedly stated that the federation had only 20 upgrades available per year, contingent on flight availability.

The federation explained that it is restricted by regulations from purchasing Business Class tickets and had requested support from THY, which reportedly stated that the federation had only 20 upgrades available per year, contingent on flight availability. None of these upgrades were utilized for the team’s May 26, 2024 flight.

Turkish Airlines’ spokesperson, Yahya Üstün, countered by emphasizing that travel logistics and ticketing details fall under the federation’s responsibility, claiming that annual flight capacity planning is done at the year’s start for all sponsored federations.

The debate intensified as TVF accused THY of making false statements, insisting that flight details were communicated well in advance and no upgrades were executed. The federation reiterated its inability to purchase Business Class tickets due to regulatory constraints and highlighted that the agreement with THY is a barter arrangement, involving ticket usage rather than monetary transactions.

Discrimination to women’s team

This incident isn’t isolated. The women’s volleyball team, despite their impressive achievements, including a world championship and a European title, frequently faces travel inconveniences.

The team, known as the “Sultans of the Net,” has previously encountered similar issues, with last-minute arrangements occasionally granting them Business Class seats.

Further fueling the controversy, the women’s volleyball team has not received the same level of recognition from government officials as their male counterparts. Unlike other national teams, the women’s volleyball champions were not received by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan following their victories.

THY’s chairman, Ahmet Bolat, responding to social media criticisms, pledged to personally oversee the travel arrangements for women athletes, promising necessary adjustments to ensure better travel conditions in the future.

As the women’s volleyball team prepares for their upcoming matches in the Nations League and the 2024 Paris Olympics, the call for equal treatment in sports continues to resonate louder.