sports
Parliamentary Committee Hears Testimony on Barriers for Women in Sports Coaching
Experts told a parliamentary select committee that women coaches face routine exclusion, harassment and bullying. Data presented showed women hold about one-quarter of coaching posts in publicly funded programs.
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Women coaches are routinely overlooked for senior roles and face harassment or bullying at work, experts told a parliamentary select committee on Thursday. The women and equalities committee opened its inquiry into routes for girls and women in sport. Witnesses described daily experiences of sexism from parents and male colleagues.
One in five female coaches reported experiencing harassment or bullying. A UK-wide survey found these issues remain key reasons women leave coaching. The number of women in coaching declined by 10% between 2022 and 2024 in grassroots sports and by 6% at the elite level, according to data cited at the session.
Highly qualified women said they are passed over for positions given to less-experienced men. One witness described being offered only junior roles despite holding higher qualifications than male colleagues hired for older age groups. Women account for about a quarter of coaching positions in UK Sport-funded programmes, with fewer in technical leadership roles.
Witnesses noted that no female head coach leads any Premiership Women’s Rugby team or the England national side.
