In an age of equality, it may seem odd that elite team sport tends to reflect the old stereotype of gender bias. According to a variety of reliable sources, the most watched team sport is association football, with a worldwide fanbase of around four billion and an estimated 270 million actively engaged players; yet, there are no professional teams that field mixed gender teams. Instead, there are separate competitions for male and female players. Arguments that seek to perpetuate this discrimination often centre upon physical attributes, yet has speedway bucked the trend and demonstrated that where there is skill, determination, and desire, coupled with organisational openness, change can happen?
The signing of German female racer Celina Liebmann by Workington Comets is history in the making, breaking the glass ceiling of professional team membership and shattering any lingering prejudice. Yet in a landscape where, for example, riders, promotors, and officials represent an overwhelming macho image, can speedway do even more, and build upon this recent and very welcome head-start that can only add value to the sport in encouraging more females to choose speedway as a career, or follow it from the terraces?
In an attempt to open up this delicate debate, I turned to a lady who has an intimate knowledge of the sport, drawn from various perspectives, including that of mother of a current rider. In order to lift the lid and create a safe environment for the expression of emotion – a constant companion of organisational and personal change – I decided upon anonymity for the secret speedway mum, and began what transpired to be a very illuminating conversation.
My first question was purposely broad, since I could only hope to imagine what it’s like being a (secret) speedway mum. “Speedway is hard for a mother, both physically and mentally.” No doubt a position that any supportive parent would hold, although the intrinsic maternal instinct was graphically captured in this telling disclosure: “I’d say it’s psychologically challenging for any mother to watch their child purposely put themselves in harm’s way for fun. You carry your baby, nurture your child, and remain ever vigilant in protecting them, then they choose one of the most dangerous professions!” And there is little or no opportunity to switch off from this all-consuming assault on the senses with the family home becoming an extension of the workshop and, more often than not, “a bed and breakfast for all and sundry!” Before I could draw breath, the secret speedway mum emphasised the relentless mental fortitude: “Being there for your child when the proverbial hits the fan, or the fence, hospital stays, being away from home and from other family members too. It is so much more than just driving somewhere in the country to stand for a couple of hours to watch your child ‘perform.’” And as a vital postscript she added, somewhat casually, “I can also change a tyre, clutch plates and fuel, and strip and clean a bike.”
I was keen to hear her thoughts about Celina Liebmann entering the championship fray and wondered how big a breakthrough for women this is. “I think this is a great signing,” she said, adding philosophically, “It should always be about talent – not gender.” Our insightful discussion addressed the sustainability of Workington’s historic move. “Having a female academy would be great, just like they do in football. There should be at least three: the North, the Midlands, and one in the South; governed by one body, whose sole purpose is to support and develop the necessary skill sets and prepare them for their journey into a historically male dominated sport.”
The vision is compelling, although in the here and now I sought to establish if the current setup of the sport is a pleasant environment for females on both sides of the safety fence. The secret speedway mum was emphatic, “In my personal experience I have found it troubling at times.” A catalogue of less than endearing behaviours demonstrated that the commencement of positive change in any endeavour, particularly in sport, requires the highest of standards in decency and respect. I knew that I needed to look at typical club facilities too and in doing so braced myself. The response was carefully chosen: “Extremely poor. I would like to use another word, but I want to maintain a professional stance!” Poignantly, the secret speedway mum identified a clear opportunity for speedway to regain its previous lustre: “Women want to be welcomed into hitherto male dominated arenas and given the chance to compete, with speedway providing an ideal level playing field. Women in the sport may even save speedway from going so far down the plughole that it’s finally flushed away.”
The decision of the Workington promotion to sign Celina Liebmann represents more than just a media boost, and their foresight is to be rightly congratulated since speedway as a whole must address the elephant in the room and adapt to the change that has become even more ruthless and frantic within an entertainment sector that has little respect for fallen idols. As Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once observed, “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”
In welcoming Celina to British speedway, and wishing her a rousing (or mitreißend), season it should not be forgotten that she carries the hopes and dreams of future generations of female racers; to this end, it’s vitally important that the sincere observations of the secret speedway mum are heard and reflected upon.
In bringing our insightful and candid conversation to a conclusion my guest reminded me of the basics with a stirring call to arms: “Make it more affordable for the average family to be able to get trackside and watch this amazing and unique sport…and bring on the women!”
© Ian Kirke 2024
@ianjkirke
Title image by Alexander Grey on Unsplash