Which of these are the potential sociological obstacles that may interfere with women's sports participation?

(A) Lack of infrasructure, specially designed for women

(B) Lack of parental support

(C) Misbehavior/harassment

(D) Male dominant social structure

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

The correct answer is (A), (C) and (D) only.

Sociological obstacles are societal-level structures, cultural norms, and environmental factors that affect groups of people collectively, restricting or discouraging their participation in sports. Let us break down why options (A), (C), and (D) constitute these major sociological barriers, while (B) is usually categorized under interpersonal or micro-level obstacles:

1. Lack of infrastructure, specially designed for women (A):
Sports facilities and infrastructure are traditionally designed with male sports participation as the default. A lack of gender-sensitive infrastructure, such as dedicated changing rooms, safe sanitation facilities, and well-lit venues, is a structural and environmental barrier that hinders women's ability to participate in sports safely and comfortably.

2. Misbehavior/harassment (C):
Gender-based harassment, public safety concerns, and inappropriate behavior directed at female athletes are significant societal deterrents. The fear of facing harassment in public spaces, on transit to facilities, or within sports institutions acts as a major social obstacle that restricts women's physical mobility and athletic participation.

3. Male dominant social structure (D):
Patriarchal and male-dominated societal structures reinforce traditional gender roles, where sports are culturally coded as masculine. In such societies, athletic achievement is often undervalued for women, and systemic resource distribution, media coverage, and institutional leadership favor men, posing a massive sociological barrier to women's inclusion.

4. Why lack of parental support (B) is not included:
While parental support is highly influential, it is primarily categorized as an interpersonal or micro-level familial obstacle rather than a broad, systemic macro-sociological structure. When focusing strictly on the broader socio-structural and environmental obstacles present in public and institutional spaces, factors like physical infrastructure (A), safety from harassment (C), and patriarchal social structures (D) represent the core sociological barriers.