Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, alongside sporting bodies and associations, to combat sexism in sport.

There is no place for sexism in sport. It is vital that sports bodies continue to work together to tackle it – and, indeed, discrimination of any kind.

The Government is committed to ensuring that sport is inclusive and free from discrimination. Recent changes to the Code for Sports Governance mean that all sport organisations receiving public funding from either UK Sport or Sport England (including national governing bodies) are now required to develop a detailed and ambitious diversity and inclusion action plan. These plans should set out how they intend to improve diversity and inclusion across the whole of their organisation, not just at board level. The Code also now requires each funded sport to appoint a board member to lead on welfare and safety across the organisation.

We have also established a working group on women’s sport, which the Minister for Sport chairs, to explore the challenges and opportunities in women’s sport, and meetings have focused on participation, visibility, and commercial investment. The Government also welcomes the work of organisations such as Women in Sport and Women in Football in challenging discrimination and breaking down inequalities between the sexes.