Minister promises to support women’s sport
The Government has promised it will make every effort to ensure women’s sport does not lose momentum as it struggles not to become “almost invisible” during the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite men’s sport restarting, women’s football, rugby and netball seasons have all been cancelled with elite hockey and rugby losing key sponsors. There has been no elite team sport since March 14 and on Friday Stephanie Hilborne, chief executive of Women in Sport, warned that women’s sport “will almost be invisible” this summer.
But the Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, has pledged to ensure that women’s sport retains its progress of the past few years. He said: “Headline sporting events are only one part of this story, and I really am keenly aware that even as we reopen some domestic competitive fixtures, not all events will be back on.
“Given the deserved momentum that had built up behind women’s sport after football, cricket and netball World Cups, I will be working with the sports minister to make sure we don’t lose any of that progress. Visibility matters, and our daughters deserve to see football, female athletes, on the main stage.”
Meanwhile, world tennis No3 Karolina Pliskova has called male players who complain about women claiming equal prize money “super weak”.
When asked if a possible merger between the men’s and women’s tours should bring equal pay, Pliskova said: “I don’t think so and I am not the one who wants it. But I don’t like the men who are complaining that we would get the same money. I think it is super weak from them that they complain we have the same money as them.
“I don’t see the reason why we should compare each other.”
Women’s professional sport will return to Britain for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown when the oneday Women’s Open is played at Brokenhurst Manor on June 18.
The event is the brainchild of European Tour member Liz Young and Jason MacNiven, who runs a custom club-fitting company at the Hampshire course.
Young said the aims of the tournament were “to find a way to put on a tournament for women professionals so that we can be competitive again and have the chance to earn a little money in these uncertain times and to boost the profile of the women’s game”.
She added: “It is so important that women’s sport is visible. There was controversy a few weeks ago over the first golf in the US being men’s only. Because golf is a sport that can be played safely now, it is key that the women get exposure too.”
Although not an officially sanctioned event, the tour has supported Young and MacNiven in getting the message out to its members but it is also open to any female professional in the UK. Players signed up include Georgia Hall, Meghan MacLaren, Annabel Dimmock, Amy Boulden and Gabriella Cowley.
Young is keen to stress that the event will adhere to government guidelines and that caddies must be from the same household as the player.
“The great thing about this event is that you have a major winner like Georgia and then girls who have won multiple times on the European Tour but anybody could win, that is what is great about golf,” she said.
The event is yet to have a sponsor and players face having to pay a £125 entry fee.
With the dearth of live sport on television, Young is calling on broadcasters to show the event. “I know people would love to watch live sport because there is so little. I would say to the likes of the BBC and Sky that this is a professional event with some big names in it,” she said. “It would also be an opportunity for people who are new to women’s golf to see just how good our game is. That is why it would be amazing if we could get this on television.”
It is understood that organisers are still hopeful that the AIG Women’s British Open will go ahead at Royal Troon on Aug 20-23.