Sports podcast series: Fair play

The life of a female athlete - how does sport need to change to present more opportunities to women?

In this podcast series, lawyers from Penningtons Manches Cooper and guests, including international sports stars and industry experts, discuss the challenges faced by women in sport, explore the inequality between men and women competing at the elite level and provide some insights on how rules could be changed to better promote success for female sports stars.

The episodes will follow the stages in a career of a female athlete as set out below:

Episode 1 – The challenges to become an elite sportswoman

In this introductory episode, we are joined by Baz Moffat (CEO of The Well HQ and former Team GB rower) and Naida Hutchinson (former England and Superleague netballer) to discuss what it takes to reach the top of your sport and how this is different for women.

Hosts: Tom Pimenta, Rachel Spruce and Eva McHale.

Related article: How sport is missing a trick for female athletes

Episode 2 – From girls to women: safeguarding risks and issues as an athlete grows

We are joined in this episode by Milly Wildish (safeguarding expert consultant who recently advised British Gymnastics) and Baz Moffat (CEO of The Well HQ and former Team GB rower) to explore how best to train a child prodigy to become a sports star whilst also considering the risks of over-training and various safeguarding considerations for young female athletes.

Hosts: Tom Pimenta and Rachel Spruce.

Related article: Safeguarding of athletes – lessons to be learned from the education sector

Episode 3 – Mother and athlete: how can governing bodies help athletes excel at both roles? 

Alex Newman and Andri Rauber of UK Sport join us to discuss the key concerns and rationale they had when writing UK Sport’s pregnancy guidance. They look at the concerns athletes have when wanting to start a family and set out some of the solutions that their guidance hopes to achieve across such a diverse range of sports.

Host: Tom Pimenta and Eva McHale.

Related article: Life of a female athlete: raising a child whilst competing

Episode 4 – How can coaches assist a female athlete when planning her career and pregnancy?

In this episode, we discuss the relationship between coaches and athletes when discussing career goals alongside planning a pregnancy. Alex Newman and Andri Rauber of UK Sport provide insights gained from coaches and athletes during their research and Baz Moffat (CEO of The Well HQ and former Team GB rower) explains how she advises clients who seek guidance about returning to sport after pregnancy and discussing this with their coaches.

Hosts: Tom Pimenta, Eva McHale and Rachel Spruce.

Related article: Elite female athletes - competing for maternity rights on the largest playing fields

Episode 5 – Retirement and career planning for elite athletes

Naida Hutchinson (former England and Superleague netballer) joins us to discuss how she decided the time was right to end her netball career and the difficult choices women face in planning a family when they are often at the peak of their career by comparing decisions taken by notable netball players.

Hosts: Eva McHale and Tom Pimenta.

Episode 6 – Women in football: a conversation with Monique Choudhuri

We are joined by the brilliant Monique Choudhuri (former NED, Brentford FC; current NED, Women in Football) to discuss women in football, WiF’s “Open Doors” agenda, the alarming events surrounding Jenni Hermoso and the future of sponsorship/broadcasting in the female game.

Host: Eva McHale

Episode 7 – She can play: what needs to change to boost female participation in sport?

Gemma Johnston (CEO and co-founder of She Is Action) joins us to discuss what needs to change to boost female participation in sport. We look at the barriers to entry at various stages of life, some perceptions and misconceptions that are depriving women and girls of their chance to compete and how Gemma and her business hope to implement change.

Hosts: Tom Pimenta and Eva McHale.