I'm not sure how to articulate this and my 'evidence' is purely anecdotal. Just dipping my toes in the feminism board.
I used to be a keen polo player 16 years ago and regularly played with my boyfriend. On the morning of one match we had a fairly serious argument. He seriously injured me (broken nose, fractured cheekbone and two chipped teeth) during the game. I accepted this as polo is a VERY dangerous sport and people seemed to accept it without asking any questions as to why he was SO determined during that particular game. Most people aren't so competitive they would risk this.
With hindsight, I wonder whether violence against women in sport is a way men conduct their violent fantasies?
People would be horrified if I said my boyfriend did this to me during an argument but in the course of sport it was accepted.
This was many years ago and I probably don't make any sense but it has started to play on my mind that he may have used sport as a cover for his desire to hurt me.