Background and Purpose
Although inequalities persist in the contemporary era, numerous professional athletes have undertaken initiatives toward achieving equality and continue to effectuate positive transformations on a daily basis. In Iran, gender justice within the domain of sport has emerged as a subject of considerable discourse and progressive development in recent years. While women's athletic participation has historically been circumscribed owing to cultural and religious considerations, concerted efforts have been directed toward advancing gender justice in sports. In 2019, the Iranian government rescinded the prohibition on women's attendance at men's sporting events, constituting a significant milestone toward gender equity in athletics. Furthermore, various initiatives have been implemented to expand women's opportunities for engagement in diverse sports and competitive events. Nevertheless, persistent challenges remain, necessitating further endeavors to guarantee equitable opportunities for all genders in Iranian sports. Although the salience of equality issues is anticipated to intensify in subsequent years, a clearly articulated and precise structural framework for gender equity in Iranian sports remains absent, nor does a uniform conceptualization of gender equity exist. Consequently, there exists an imperative for a lucid perspective and framework that will inform our understanding of gender equity in sports. Accordingly, a comprehensive examination of the factors influencing gender equity in professional sports is required. Given the significance of gender equity in athletics, this investigation seeks to address the following research question: What are the determinants affecting gender equity in professional sports in Iran?
 
Methods
The present study falls within the purview of applied research regarding its objective. This investigation employs a qualitative research strategy and is analytical-exploratory in nature. Thematic analysis methodology was utilized for data analysis in this research. The participant population comprised experts and experienced individuals in the domain of gender justice in sports, sports management academics, professional athletes, sports organization administrators, and athletic coaches. The research encompassed 17 participants. Purposive sampling was employed in this phase, with interviews continuing until theoretical saturation was achieved. Interviews were conducted through a combination of audio and video modalities via social platforms and face-to-face interactions. Interview durations ranged from 30 to 60 minutes, with a mean duration of 35 minutes. Following interview completion, the raw interview data underwent multiple rounds of examination and reexamination, and preliminary coding of the raw data was executed. Subsequently, the extraction of principal categories and potential subcategories commenced, with codes exhibiting the greatest semantic affinity grouped within identical categories. Following the interviews, the principal and subordinate themes pertaining to gender justice in Iranian professional sports were coded and categorized utilizing open coding methodology. Maxqda software version 2022 was employed for analytical purposes.
 
Results
The research findings indicate that factors influencing gender justice in Iranian professional sports comprise five principal categories: infrastructural factors, economic factors, socio-cultural factors, sports-oriented factors, and managerial-political factors. The determinants affecting gender justice in Iranian professional sports encompass twenty subcategories, including the development of sports facilities, digital infrastructure, media infrastructure, budgetary parity, financial resources, financial support, cultural transformations, familial support, attitudinal and belief modifications, community engagement, athletic role models, female coach training, professional championship development, appropriate professional leagues, promotion of public sports, educational programs, human resources, management systems, legal safeguards, and sports policies. Ultimately, considering these findings and the factors affecting gender justice in Iranian professional sports, the development of appropriate programs to address challenges in this domain is imperative.
 
Conclusion
Governmental authorities and sports federations should formulate policies that advance gender justice in professional athletics. Mandating that sports federations and clubs implement anti-discrimination policies and enforce equal opportunity legislation for women and men in professional sports is critically important. Additionally, Iranian sports organizations ought to publish annual reports on gender equality through their media channels. The incorporation of gender equality clauses in sports contracts is likewise essential. Matters such as maternity protection and equal remuneration warrant attention. FIFA established maternity provisions as entitlements for professional female footballers in 2021, providing 14 weeks of maternity leave for athletes. A comprehensive management system for gender equity in professional sport necessitates governance reforms, financial commitment, educational development, media strategy, legal protections, and community participation, among other elements. Through implementation of these strategies, sports organizations can establish equitable conditions wherein women and men experience equal opportunities, visibility, and success in professional sport. Gender equity in Iranian professional sport represents not merely an equality concern but constitutes an important imperative for the nation's social and economic advancement. Addressing the factors affecting gender equity in Iranian professional sport and ensuring equal opportunities can reasonably be anticipated to foster a more inclusive and competitive sports culture that benefits athletes and society collectively.
 
Article Message
Gender justice in Iranian professional sports represents not merely an equality concern but constitutes an important imperative for the nation's social and economic advancement. Addressing the factors affecting gender justice in Iranian professional sports and ensuring equal opportunities can reasonably be anticipated to foster a more inclusive and competitive sports culture that benefits athletes and society collectively.
Ethical Considerations
The authors declare full adherence to publication ethics in disseminating the presented article, including avoidance of plagiarism, misconduct, data falsification, or duplicate submission and publication.
Authors' Contributions
Conceptualization: Hossein Rajabi Noush Abadi, Zohreh Haddadi, Fariba Askarian, Mehrzad Hamidi
Data Collection: Zohreh Haddadi, Hossein Rajabi Noush Abadi, Fariba Askarian, Mehrzad Hamidi
Data Analysis: Zohreh Haddadi, Hossein Rajabi Noush Abadi, Fariba Askarian, Mehrzad Hamidi
Manuscript Writing: Zohreh Haddadi, Hossein Rajabi Noush Abadi, Fariba Askarian
Review and Editing: Zohreh Haddadi, Hossein Rajabi Noush Abadi
Responsible for Funding: Zohreh Haddadi, Hossein Rajabi Noush Abadi, Fariba Askarian, Mehrzad Hamidi
Literature Review: Hossein Rajabi Noush Abadi, Zohreh Haddadi, Fariba Askarian
Project Management: Hossein Rajabi Noush Abadi, Fariba Askarian, Mehrzad Hamidi, Zohreh Haddadi
Conflict of Interest
According to the authors, this article presents no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
The present study is indebted to the cooperation of sports management professors, professional athletes, sports organization administrators, and athletic coaches who provided substantial assistance through participation in interviews. The researchers sincerely appreciate and express gratitude for this collaboration.