Insiders, outsiders and allies: Inga Löwdin and the promotion of women’s international XC skiing, 1946–1960

Journal article, 2025

This article traces the pivotal role of Swedish skier Inga Löwdin and her colleagues in institutionalising women’s XC skiing in the mid-twentieth century, in particular the strategic work within the male-dominated International Ski Federation (FIS) to advance women’s inclusion in World Championships and Olympic Games. The article highlights Löwdin’s use of ‘proximal authority’ and collective female networks to navigate gendered barriers, contrasting her role with male ‘bohemian’ outsiders who challenged norms through individual action. It also sheds light on tensions between different strategies for advancing women’s participation due to differing national socio-political contexts. Löwdin’s pragmatic approach–balancing institutional conformity with strategic resistance–enabled gradual structural change. Her work exemplifies how gendered outsider positions can be leveraged to influence sport governance, while also underscoring the limitations and compromises faced by women in leadership roles in sport. Ultimately, the article reframes notions of outsider agency through a gendered and institutional lens.