Women in Yugoslav sport: a fairy tale of equality

Ankica Škrtić won her first race barefoot in 1946, a moment that would become emblematic of the complex interplay between sports, politics, and gender equality in communist Yugoslavia. The young factory worker from Karlovac, then part of Yugoslavia, had little experience with athletics before she entered the country’s first nationwide spring cross-country race. With no running shoes, she competed barefoot and emerged victorious. That year, she also claimed victory at the national championships in Ljubljana, winning the 800-meter run. These achievements were celebrated in the press as symbols of social mobility and female empowerment, stories crafted by the Communist Party to showcase the benefits of its ideology. The narrative around Škrtić was carefully constructed. She was portrayed as a working-class woman who, through the encouragement of the state, found success in sport. This image aligned with broader efforts by the Yugoslav government to promote physical fitness and collective discipline among citizens. The regime saw sport as a tool for shaping a new socialist citizenry, one that was healthy, disciplined, and equal. Women, in particular, were encouraged to participate in mass sports programs, which were framed as opportunities for personal advancement within a system that otherwise restricted their roles in public life. Historian Ivan Simić has examined how these narratives functioned as propaganda. He notes that the state actively promoted stories of women overcoming hardship to achieve athletic success, often emphasizing their humble origins and the transformative power of socialism. These tales served multiple purposes: they reinforced the legitimacy of the regime, demonstrated the benefits of its policies, and subtly challenged traditional gender norms. The state also sought to align itself with global trends, particularly Soviet influence, which emphasized both physical health and gender equality. One such example comes from Bosnia, where a young woman named Šemsa participated in a relay race celebrating Josip Broz Tito’s birthday. Šemsa, a Muslim, reportedly removed her headscarf during the race, a symbolic act of defiance against religious traditions that restricted women’s participation in sports. In regions like Bosnia and Kosovo, Muslim women were required to wear head coverings while competing, a practice that the state gradually began to challenge. The media hailed Šemsa’s actions as proof of the revolution’s success in promoting women’s rights, even as religious leaders remained skeptical. Despite these efforts, the push for gender equality in sport faced limitations. While the state mandated quotas for women in certain disciplines, such as cross-country running, participation rates remained low. In 1948, only 19 percent of participants in cross-country races were women, according to research by scholars Nikola Mijatov and Sandra S. Radenović. Even within the sports federations, women made up less than one-third of members, with the lowest representation in rural areas like Bosnia and Macedonia. These figures suggest that while the state aimed to increase female involvement, structural barriers persisted. The ideological underpinnings of this policy were clear. The Communist Party viewed sport as a means of fostering unity and discipline, values essential to maintaining control over a fragmented nation. At the same time, it used the successes of individual athletes, particularly women, to project an image of progress and modernity. However, the reality was more nuanced. Many male-dominated sports, such as football and boxing, remained off-limits to women, often citing concerns about health risks. Religious authorities, too, resisted some aspects of the state’s agenda, highlighting the ongoing tension between secular ideals and traditional beliefs. These dynamics reflect a broader pattern in post-war Europe, where political movements sought to reshape societal norms through cultural institutions like sports. The stories of women like Škrtić and Šemsa were not just about athletic achievement, they were about identity, resistance, and the struggle for autonomy. As the decades passed, these narratives continued to evolve, shaped by both internal pressures and external influences. Today, the legacy of this era remains visible in discussions about gender and sport, offering a unique lens through which to examine the intersection of politics, culture, and personal agency.