Women in Sport celebrates 40 years with landmark conference calling for a future of equality in sport

With a balanced audience of women and men, the conference heard from a line–up of powerful and inspiring speakers including; Dame Katherine Grainger DBE, Chair of UK Sport, Nazir Afzal OBE, former Chief Crown Prosecutor for North West England, Sarah Owen MP, Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, Daniel Frumkin, CEO of Metrobank, and tennis coach Judy Murray OBE. The event was hosted by Jim Carter, actor and founder of Hampstead Women’s Cricket alongside Women in Sport Chair, Julia Newton.

Since 1984, Women in Sport has fearlessly confronted gender inequality in sport by challenging the system, offering solutions and inspiring change, backed by a deep understanding of the environment that women and girls are living in. The organisation’s first major conference since 2018 aimed to unite, inspire and galvanise attendees to take action, focused around four pivotal policy asks:   

• Gender budgeting: Sports organisations in receipt of public money should monitor its expenditure and work to allocate funds more equally between men and women. 

• 50/50 leadership: Sports organisations receiving public money should target 50% female representation on their Boards and senior teams.  

• Legislation against misogyny: Legislation and mandatory introduction of policies to tackle and prevent misogyny for sports organisations receiving government funding. 

• Independent Regulator for Sport: A dedicated body should be established to tackle abuse by ensuring adequate safeguarding and duty of care to everyone involved in sport. Women and girls are disproportionately impacted.  

Women in Sport believes these policy areas can accelerate the pace of change and make sport fairer for women and girls. This belief was at the heart of the conference discussions with speakers sharing personal and professional insights on how to implement these changes. 

Nazir Afzal OBE underscored the urgency of legal action and regulatory reform, stating: “Misogyny has no place in our society. As men, we must step up, not just as allies, but as active advocates for change. The abuse of women & girls is a pandemic – the numbers are staggering and heartbreaking. A substantial number of female athletes – whether young children or seasoned professionals – have faced harassment, exploitation, and abuse by those they should be able to trust. They have been subjected to toxic environments that strip away their dignity, their sense of self-worth, and often their dreams of excelling in the sports they love. To truly tackle this issue, we must introduce anti-misogyny laws and establish an Independent Regulator for Sport. In the meantime, sports should introduce internal anti misogyny policies and make sure people are trained to recognise and tackle these issues.” 

Judy Murray OBE  highlighted the critical need for female coaches and investment: “Sport has the power to transform lives, build resilience and open doors, yet too often, women and girls are still sidelined. Creating the right environment for female coaches to thrive is a key part of the solution alongside more equal recognition and investment. Women are bound by a strong sense of commonality and we must support each other in this ongoing battle for equality. We must bring up the next generation of boys to deeply respect the girls and women around them and join forces with those men who are genuine allies for this cause.” 

Brian Moore, former England rugby union player and Women in Sport Trustee reinforced the call for equal leadership: “Achieving 50/50 leadership in sport is not just a nice to have, it’s a necessity for fairness and progress. Organisations receiving public money must lead the way. At the moment, we are missing out on a wealth of talent that is overlooked by not having equal representation in sports leadership. Currently only 17% of chairs, chief execs and performance director in our most popular 20 sports are female.” 
 

Stephanie Hilborne OBE, Chief Executive of Women in Sport gave a call to action: “This conference highlighted the real, tangible steps needed to make gender equality in sport the standard, not the exception. This work goes beyond sport, it’s essential for society. In an increasingly fragmented and polarised world, we must unite women and men to dismantle the stereotypes and misogyny that stands in the way. This is not only because it’s the right thing to do but because it can address gendered health inequalities and help society to thrive. Together, we can join forces for the future – a future where sport is a powerful force for joy, equality and opportunity.”

Supported by sponsors Vitality, Brent Cross Town and Wasserman Live, this landmark event sets the stage for the next phase of action. Women in Sport is committed to support all those ready to lead this change and create a better future for all women and girls.