Minister’s Speech at Women in Sport Conference

The Minister for Sport, The Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP, recently spoke at the Westminster Insight conference on the future of women and girls in sport. He began by acknowledging the thriving interest and passion for women’s sports and highlighted the Government’s commitment to supporting its growth. 

 Key highlights from the speech include: 

• Success and Inspiration: The Minister celebrated the Lionesses’ achievements at the EUROs in 2022 and their journey to the UEFA World Cup final in 2023, which has significantly boosted interest in women’s football. Recent BBC analysis shows a doubling of registered female football teams in England over the past seven years.   
• Independent Review of Women’s Football: Karen Carney led this review, published in July 2023, which outlined ten strategic recommendations for the sustainable future of women’s football. The Government has pledged continued support for these recommendations and plans to convene an implementation group for stakeholder accountability. 
• Broadening Scope: The Minister announced plans to extend the Review’s recommendations to women’s sports more generally. A Board of Women’s Sports will be established to connect industry leaders, academics, and National Governing Bodies to support and grow women’s sports. 
• Olympic Highlights: The upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics will achieve gender parity in participation, a historic first. The UK will continue to champion women’s sports visibility through hosting major events, including the 2025 Rugby World Cup and the 2026 T20 World Cup. 
• Challenges and Initiatives: Despite progress, disparities in participation levels persist. The Government’s ‘Get Active’ sport strategy aims to engage 1.25 million more active women in England by 2030. Initiatives like Sport England’s ‘This Girl Can’ campaign and investments in school sports and grassroots facilities aim to address this.   
• Investments and Safeguarding: Significant funding has been allocated for women’s sports infrastructure, including £25 million for the Lionesses Futures Fund. Safeguarding in sports is a priority, with measures being taken to improve protections and complaint handling systems. 
• Media Coverage and Investment: Improved media coverage and record-breaking audience figures for women’s sports were highlighted. The Department for Business and Trade’s Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator scheme aims to boost investments further.  
• Governance and Inclusion: The Code for Sports Governance now requires National Governing Bodies to develop diversity and inclusion action plans. The Minister reaffirmed his commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment for women and girls in sports, condemning online abuse and discrimination. 

The Minister concluded by expressing gratitude to the volunteers who contribute significantly to sports and address wider issues like loneliness. He reiterated his commitment to working collaboratively to ensure women’s sports’ continued growth and success. 

For the full speech and detailed insights, you can read Minister Andrew’s speech here.