Vonn has talked about her ability to get the better of many men when she trains alongside them and one of her few remaining goals is to ‘beat some boys then call it a day’

success, the topic continues to crop up. Vonn has talked about her ability to get the better of many men when she trains alongside them and claims that one of her few remaining goals in the sport is to “beat some boys and then call it a day.”

She admits that she is unlikely to beat all of them, but insists she would like to test herself against the best in her sport before she hangs up her skis.

Vonn cannot be knocked for her ambition; she has not got to where she is without being confident in her own ability, but her target to compete against men, just like all of the other female athletes who have felt the need to take on their male counterparts, troubles me for one particular reason.

The implicit message that they are sending out is that female athletes are not of value unless they can hold their own against men. It suggests that female athletes can only be granted true validity if they can compete against men and that female sport lacks legitimacy unless it is of the same standard as men’s sport.

But why should female athletes have to take on men to prove they are worthy? In short, they shouldn’t.

Women’s sport fights a constant battle against claims that it is inferior to men’s sport and that female athletes are less worthy of attention because they are not as fast or as strong or as powerful as their male counterparts.

In almost all cases, this is true; they are not as physically able as the men but this should not mean that they are not as deserving of accolades. Serena Williams would almost certainly lose to Fernando Verdasco, the men’s world No.40, but there are surely few who would argue that the Spaniard is a greater tennis player than Williams.

Vonn has said that her ambition to take on the men is not only important for her but also for women’s sport. I find it impossible to agree with this. She is implying that her ability can only be truly tested were she to take on the men. By doing this, she is adding to the perception that women are weaker and, frankly, worse at sport.

There are few sports, if any, in which women could consistently get the better of men in a straight match. Does this mean that they are inferior? No, it doesn’t.

Unless this perception changes, women’s sport will never find itself on an equal footing. TOMORROW Nick Rodger