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Sport WSFF calls for legacy for women


Major changes are needed in sport in order to maximise the Olympic legacy opportunity for women, the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) told MPs at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Women’s Sport and Fitness on 24 October. British women had their best ever Olympics,


winning 11 gold, eight silver and six bronze medals, however, the WSFF claims there needs to be a cultural change in sport in order to capitalise on this success. Currently only 5 per cent of sports media


coverage and 0.5 per cent of commercial investment is directed at women’s sport. At grassroots level, only 12 per cent of 14-year- old girls are doing sufficient physical activity, half the figure of boys of the same age. Tis is partly because of a culture which prizes being thin over being healthy, claims the WSFF. Te organisation is proposing a strategy


which would see greater media coverage of women in sport, a rethink of school sport to encourage more female participation and more female leadership at the highest levels. “Te issues are endemic and chronic,” says


WSFF chief executive Sue Tibballs. “The achievements of Jessica Ennis, Sarah Storey, Kath Grainger and so many others have taken support for women’s sport to new heights.


Team GB women won more medals than ever in 2012 But we cannot rely on goodwill alone to


overcome the obstacles to women’s sport tak- ing its proper place in public life. Tis has to change or the Olympic legacy will have failed for women.” Te WSFF wants the government to scru-


tinise how public money is being spent on sport to see how much funding is reaching women. Te organisation launched the Go Girl campaign this year to create a celebration of female sporting achievement and to create a community of women to inspire each other to get healthy. Details: http://lei.sr?a=s5W8L


‘Game changing’ plans for women’s football


Te Football Association (FA) has launched plans to trans- form the future of women’s football in England. Entitled Game Changer,


the strategy looks to harness the momentum of the 2012 Olympics and drive the game forward at every level. Te plans are based on four


key elements: creating an Elite Performance Unit (EPU); delivering a new commercial strategy for women’s football; expanding the Women’s Super League (WSL); and growing participation at grassroots level. Te EPU will be tasked with developing


Plans include developing players via a talent development pathway


the best young players via a talent devel- opment pathway. For the first time in FA history, a distinct commercial programme for women’s football will be created to help the game have a clear identity and become financially more sustainable. As part of this, the commercial rights for


England Women, Te FA Women’s Cup and Te FA WSL will be sold separately from rights


Read Leisure Opportunities online: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital


for the men’s game to establish a clear identity. A second tier – WSL2 – will also be created to enable promotion and relegation, expand- ing a competition format that is driving up playing standards and improving awareness of the women’s game. Te FA aims for wom- en’s football to become the second largest team sport aſter men’s football by 2018 based on independent Sport England research, with 253,600 women playing football each month. Details: http://lei.sr?a=x4t0x


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