Sexism and inequalities in sport

Women and Equalities Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 2 May 2023 Closed: 28 May 2024 Parliament page
Following earlier sessions on football, timed to coincide with the 2022 men’s World Cup, the Women and Equalities Committee is examining sexism and inequality in sport more widely. A key focus will be on how girls’ and women’s health and physiology – body image, injuries and sports-related illnesses, periods, pregnancy … Read more
12 Recommendations
7 Conclusions
1 Report
3 Oral sessions
17 Letters
3 Events
Activity timeline 25 events
17 May
2024
Report published
24 Apr
2024
Correspondence
21 Mar
2024
Correspondence
5 Mar
2024
Report published
10 Jan
2024
Correspondence
10 Jan
2024
Correspondence
10 Jan
2024
Correspondence
10 Jan
2024
Correspondence
13 Dec
2023
Correspondence
6 Dec
2023
Correspondence
29 Nov
2023
Correspondence
29 Nov
2023
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions
22 Nov 2023
View on parliament.uk
Women and Equalities Committee
Dame Katherine Grainger DBE · UK Sport Dr Craig Ranson · UK Sports Institute Emily Handyside · UK Coaching Jeanette Bain-Burnett · Sport England
6 Sep 2023
View on parliament.uk
Women and Equalities Committee
Jo Ward · Lawn Tennis Association Kelly Gordon · England Netball Nick Pink · England Hockey
14 Jun 2023
View on parliament.uk
Women and Equalities Committee
Baz Moffat · The Well HQ Dr Louise Newson · The Menopause Charity Eboni Usoro-Brown Janet Birkmyre Kate Seary · Kyniska Advocacy Lisa West · Women in Sport Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne Shaunagh Brown
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - Health barriers for girls and women in sport HC 130 5 Mar 2024 19 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
7 results
Clear
2 Conclusion Deferred
Third Report - Health barriers for…
Inadequate and late delivery of mandatory menstrual cycle education impacts girls' PE participation.
Key anxieties for girls include concerns around periods, yet education on the menstrual cycle, despite being mandatory, is only being delivered in half of schools. It is shocking that around 50% of schools are disregarding a vital, and mandatory, element … Read more
Government Response
The government accepted the recommendation but deflected by responding solely on the importance of offering a wide choice of PE kit and sports bras for girls, including elite athletes, without addressing the core issue of inadequate menstrual cycle education.
Government Equalities Office
View details
3 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Health barriers for…
Urgently review and improve girls' health and menstrual cycle education quality and timeliness.
The Department for Education must urgently review the quality and timeliness of education on girls’ health and physiology, including the effects of puberty, the menstrual cycle, and periods in the context of PE and school sport. Whether part of PE … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepted the recommendation but deflected by focusing on existing physical activity campaigns, funding for PE and sport facilities, and the National Physical Activity Taskforce, without addressing the specific call to review and improve the quality and timeliness of girls' health and physiology education or teacher training.
Government Equalities Office
View details
5 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Health barriers for…
Launch "This Girl Can" campaign for parents and update School Sport Action Plan targets.
We recommend Sport England launch a new strand of the “This Girl Can” campaign aimed at parents, tackling early years gender stereotypes around physical activity and sport. This should include a specific focus on the positive role fathers can play … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation but states decisions on Sport England's priorities are independent. While it will focus the next phase of 'This Girl Can' on women aged 50 and over, this differs from the recommended focus on parents and early years, and it does not commit to rolling out 'Studio You' or updating the DfE action plan.
Government Equalities Office
View details
7 Conclusion Deferred
Third Report - Health barriers for…
Government's 'Get Active' strategy remains inadequate for addressing midlife women's health barriers.
Women in midlife face specific health-related barriers to participation, including but not limited to the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. These occur after many have experienced barriers at earlier life stages, including in early years and at school during puberty. … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation to rectify strategy shortcomings but believes it can be achieved through the existing National Physical Activity Taskforce and the newly established Board of Women’s Sport, rather than committing to specific updates or rectifications of its 'Get Active' strategy itself.
Government Equalities Office
View details
8 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Health barriers for…
Prioritise another 'This Girl Can' campaign phase focused on inspiring women in midlife.
We recommend Sport England prioritise another phase of the “This Girl Can” campaign focused on women in midlife, showing real life examples of women in the 40- to 60-year-old age group participating in a wide range of sports and physical … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation but describes unrelated ongoing work by Sport England and other bodies focused on women in coaching and instructor training, not on launching a new phase of 'This Girl Can' specifically for women in midlife as recommended.
Government Equalities Office
View details
9 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Health barriers for…
Update DCMS 'Get Active' strategy with tailored interventions and targets for midlife women.
We recommend the DCMS update its “Get Active” strategy for the future of sport and physical activity in relation to women in midlife. It should work with organisations including Women in Sport and The Well HQ to include an analysis … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation to update its 'Get Active' strategy for women in midlife but provides a response entirely unrelated, detailing Sport England's actions regarding Swim England's safeguarding and regulatory improvements.
Government Equalities Office
View details
11 Conclusion Deferred
Third Report - Health barriers for…
Government's current response to sportswomen's health issues lacks a coordinated cross-sector approach.
While there are positive signs of change in the sports and exercise research sector, a more concerted and coordinated, cross-sector approach is required to achieve equality of attention to health and physiology-related issues affecting sportswomen, including those arising from kit … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts the recommendation but largely responds by detailing employment rights, maternity leave, and pay for sportswomen, which is unrelated to the call for a more coordinated cross-sector approach for health, physiology, and kit issues.
Government Equalities Office
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 19 of 12 classified
Accepted 5
Accepted in Part 3
Acknowledged 4
Deferred 7
Total 12 recs + 7 conclusions
Correspondence 17 letters
24 Apr 2024 Correspondence with Frasers Group, relating to the categorisation of football boots and the impact this has on women and girls, dated March/April 2024
Parliament page
21 Mar 2024 Correspondence to Group CEO, Frasers Group PLC regarding barriers faced by women and girls in sport , dated 20 March 2024
Parliament page
10 Jan 2024 Sport integrity statistics received from UK Sport, December 2023
Parliament page
10 Jan 2024 Correspondence from Sport England, relating to Sexism and inequalities in sport, dated 14 December 2023
Parliament page
10 Jan 2024 Correspondence from UK Sports Institute, relating to Sexism and inequalities in sport, dated December 2023
Parliament page
10 Jan 2024 Correspondence from Minister for Schools, relating to health and physiology- related barriers for girls and women in sport, dated 19 December 2023
Parliament page
13 Dec 2023 Correspondence from Minister for Sport, Gambling and Civil Society, relating to the Independent Review of women's football, dated 4 December 2023
Parliament page
6 Dec 2023 Correspondence from the Youth Sport Trust relating to the Sexism and inequalities in sport inquiry, dated 29 November
Parliament page
29 Nov 2023 Correspondence from the Chair to the Minister for Schools, relating to Health and physiology-related barriers for girls and women in sport and exercise, dated 22 November 2023
Parliament page
29 Nov 2023 Correspondence from the Chair to the Minister for Women's health Strategy and Minister for Sport, Gambling and Civil Society, relating to Health and Physiology-related barriers for girls and women in sport and exercise, dated 22 November 2023
Parliament page
8 Nov 2023 Correspondence from Nike, relating to football boots
Parliament page
8 Nov 2023 Correspondence from the FA Director of Women's Football, The Football Association, relating to women's football
Parliament page
8 Nov 2023 Correspondence from Sports Direct, relating to football boots
Parliament page
25 Oct 2023 Correspondence to Chief Executive Officer Swim England, relating to the health and wellbeing of female swimmers to
Parliament page
25 Oct 2023 Correspondence from the Chief Executive Officer Swim England, relating to the health and wellbeing of female swimmers
Parliament page
7 Aug 2023 Responses from Sports Executives on design and manufacture of football boots
Parliament page
5 Jul 2023 To committee Letter from the Chair to Sport Executives on the design and manufacturing of football boots
Parliament page