Today we re-release an episode with Maggie Alphonsi, one of rugby's greatest female players. Having helped England win a record breaking 7 consecutive Six Nations crowns and the 2014 World Cup, Maggie has gone on to be as influential off the field as she was on it. Maggie talks openly about how rugby changed her life, her experience of representing her country and how it felt to break new ground as the first woman to commentate on men’s rugby at a World Cup. Thank you for Sport England who suppo...
Apr 21, 2023•43 min
‘I hate the word homophobia. It’s not a phobia. You’re not scared. You’re an arsehole’. Morgan Freeman, 2012 Sport can be an incredibly inclusive space, welcoming women whatever their sexuality – and in many cases providing a haven for a young woman, potentially normalising her identity in a way she may not have experienced elsewhere. And yet sadly, society’s perception of LGBTQ+ women can also be the very thing that drives girls away from sport, with National Governing Bodies historically choos...
Apr 18, 2023•37 min•Season 13Ep. 15
It’s little wonder that broadcaster Laura Woods is so admired by men and women alike - her warmth, humour and humility are all on full display in this delightful interview for The Game Changers podcast. We’re re-releasing it today to ensure that Laura’s wise words and authenticity reach an even bigger audience. Twice voted the SJA Sports Presenter of the Year, Laura openly shares her journey to the high profile roles she holds today as host of talkSPORT’S flagship Sports Breakfast Show and prese...
Apr 14, 2023•56 min
’Spare us the unaesthetic spectacle of women trying to look and act like men’ - IOC member, 1950 For too long sportswomen have faced the almost impossible task of competing as athletes whilst also maintaining what society deems as typically ‘feminine’ appearance in order to appeal to broadcasters, promoters and sponsors. And so we see women still playing elite sport in dresses, hiding their muscular bodies and being asked about their outfits rather than their performances in post match interview...
Apr 11, 2023•39 min•Season 13Ep. 14
Whilst I’m not sure any one chapter of ‘Game On’ is more important than the rest, if I had to pick one for all men to listen to it might be chapter 13 - ‘In The Red Corner’. It’s ironic that historically it was men talking about ‘women’s bodies’ that led to the banning of them from sport, but now we have men in sport who don’t want to talk about women’s bodies, and that too has a negative impact. This chapter explores the lack of sports science devoted to women’s bodies and how that then impacts...
Apr 04, 2023•38 min•Season 13Ep. 13
In celebration of the fact that Denise Lewis received a Damehood in the New Years Honours, we’re delighted to re-release her interview on The Game Changers podcast this week. Olympic gold medallist in the heptathlon and much loved by the British public, Denise is now President of Commonwealth Games England. Along with her busy life supporting charities whilst raising her family, Denise regularly graces our TV screens, whether that’s commentating on BBC sports coverage or appearing on shows such ...
Mar 31, 2023•46 min
Why are just 10% of coaches at Olympics and Paralympics female? What stops women reaching the highest levels of elite sport as coaches? It turns out it’s not the experience and skill of the women, but a system that disadvantages them at every stage. From the perceptions of what make a ‘good coach’ through to way coaching courses are delivered, there’s so much that can be improved. And then there are the male professional players (with no coaching experience) parachuted into the highest profile c...
Mar 28, 2023•42 min•Season 13Ep. 12
Think of the phrase male ally as a verb rather than a noun. How can you help drive gender equality in sport? Game On charts the unstoppable rise of women’s sport, with many trailblazing, game-changing women leading the charge, but ultimately having men onside will be essential if true equality in sport is ever to be achieved. This week’s audio chapter of the book ‘Game On’ explores the topic of male allies, celebrating the men that are already on board and providing practical guidance for those ...
Mar 21, 2023•33 min•Season 13Ep. 11
Ian Wright has long been a male ally for women’s sport, but it was his outspoken remarks about equality in girls’ football, made on the BBC during last summer’s women’s Euros, that may have had the biggest impact. To coincide with this week’s Game On audio chapter, which explores the role of male allies in sport, we’ve re-released a one of the most downloaded episodes of The Game Changers with Ian Wright. Ian is incredibly candid about his own attitude to women’s football, how embarrassed he fee...
Mar 20, 2023•26 min
Following an incredible year for women’s football and the Lionesses, this week we’re re-releasing an episode with Baroness Sue Campbell – Director of Women’s Football at the FA. Having led the National Coaching Foundation, established the Youth Sport Trust and Chaired UK Sport, Sue’s role at the FA has been transformational. It’s a fascinating and insightful conversation with one of the most respected people in British sport. Find out more about The Game Changers here . Thank you to Sport Englan...
Mar 17, 2023•50 min
‘The leadership and management of football, one of the most diverse games on the planet, is still controlled, fundamentally, by white men’. Dame Heather Rabbatts, 2020 It’s generally accepted that organisations led by diverse boards are more successful, have better governance and make better decisions. Yet for many sports not much has changed from the 1800s when organised sport was first developed – organised for men, by men. This chapter explores what’s happening in the running of global sport....
Mar 14, 2023•39 min•Season 13Ep. 10
This week we’re re-releasing an interview with an extraordinary sporting trailblazer - Maggie Murphy. Maggie is now CEO at Lewes FC, the only professional club in the world to equally invest in its men’s and women’s teams. Maggie sheds light on the huge disparity in pay in women’s sport - especially for the FA Cup. This month Lewes FC women made history in qualifying for the FA Cup quarter final. If they win their game at home against Man Utd on March 19 they will win 25k. If the men’s team won ...
Mar 10, 2023•49 min
We hear so much about female athletes as role models - but what impact do they really have? Does increased profile of elite sportswomen drive grassroots sports participation and do they help change perceptions about gender equality more broadly in society? And what of the way female athletes are depicted in sports media? Do we see them excelling in their sport like their male counterparts, or do other aspects take precedence - their appearance, relationships and emotions? In the week's chapter o...
Mar 07, 2023•36 min•Season 13Ep. 9
Stacey has represented her country at an international level in two sports – football and boxing. Following a successful football career, where she represented England, played in the FA cup final, and played overseas for six years in the US and Sweden; Stacey then went on to pursue her dreams of a career in boxing. During her six-year amateur boxing career, Stacey became European silver medallist and three-time national champion. She then turned professional and 2018 became the first British wom...
Mar 03, 2023•1 hr 2 min
Why do we see so few women working as sports journalists and does that impact the coverage of women’s sport? The gender balance in sports broadcasting is getting better, but still women face relentless sexism and misogyny just for doing their jobs. In this chapter we speak to some of the trailblazers in sports media including Jacqui Oatley, Anna Kessel and Elly Oldroyd. What was it like in the past, how have things changed and what might the future hold for women talking sport? Thank you to Spor...
Feb 28, 2023•41 min•Season 13Ep. 8
I’m often asked if I have a ‘favourite’ amongst the 100+ trailblazers in women’s sport I have had the privilege of interviewing on The Game Changers podcast. Whilst it’s an impossible question to answer – I’ve learnt so much from all of the incredible women I’ve spoken to - there is one fascinating interview that always comes to mind as especially entertaining and moving. Rose Reilly shares her extraordinary story - a young woman banned from Scottish football who went on to win a World Cup with ...
Feb 24, 2023•44 min
“Everyone thinks women should be thrilled when we get the crumbs and I want women to have the cake, the icing and the cherry on top too.” Billie Jean King, 2016 How will women’s sport ever thrive without equality in funding and investment? It’s totally unrealistic to expect women’s team sport to reach the level of men’s when players have never had access to the same funding, prize money, professional contracts or personal endorsement as the men. This chapter looks critically as the state of play...
Feb 21, 2023•42 min•Season 13Ep. 7
It’s been a massive week for women’s cricket (and wider women’s sport) with the first player auctions in the inaugural Women’s IPL breaking all records. It feels very timely then, to re-release this powerful interview with former England Cricketer and World Cup Winner Ebony Rainford-Brent. Having been a trailblazing player, and the first black woman to play cricket for England, Ebony has gone on to lead the way as a sports broadcaster and activist for inclusion in cricket. Thank you to Sport Eng...
Feb 17, 2023•52 min0
“Sponsors and brands are looking at women’s sport with new eyes. They are looking at what they can get from women’s sport from the story and the purpose. Ultimately it’s about what it says as them as a brand.” Lisa Parfitt, The Space Between Why are we finally seeing a massive increase in women’s sport sponsorship, and what does women’s sport offer brands that men’s doesn’t? How do the experts think broadcasting rights, access and private investment could change things in the future for women’s ...
Feb 14, 2023•43 min•Season 13Ep. 6
In the past 5 years we’ve seen huge changes in the size of crowds coming to watch women’s sport. Records are constantly being broken as fans flock to the biggest stadia, and we’re seeing a very different make up in the audience – a more inclusive, friendly fan base. But what’s driving this change and how can clubs and sports help accelerate this growth? And who are the fans of women’s sport anyway? This chapter explores what needs to change to maintain this momentum. Thank you to Sport England w...
Feb 14, 2023•26 min•Season 13Ep. 5
In this episode we revisit the conversation with legendary broadcaster and best-selling author Clare Balding CBE. Clare has hosted numerous major events including the Olympics and Paralympics, Wimbledon, the Boat Race and The Grand National. Clare is a huge sporting trailblazer, and, along with sharing her own career path, in this podcast she also explores how we might drive gender equality in sport. Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast through the National Lotttery. ...
Feb 10, 2023•55 min0
Why does women’s sport receive so little media coverage? When a sports editor says ‘no one is interested in women’s sport’ does he actually men that ‘he’ is not interested in women’s sport? Is that why are our newspapers are full of men writing about men’s sport for men? And what of the quality of coverage? What impact do we see when broadcasters finally invest in high quality production? Finally, what impact could digital content have for women’s sport Things are slowly improving, but as this c...
Feb 07, 2023•52 min•Season 13Ep. 4
Why do women only play three sets of tennis at Grand Slam tennis events and not five like the men? In this chapter Sue explores how historical beliefs about women’s bodies and the impact of physical activity are still impacting women’s sport today. Did we really believe that women only had a finite amount of energy or that their wombs might fall out if they were too energetic? And how did that pseudo-scientific result in football being banned for 50 years? This chapter sheds light on the past to...
Feb 07, 2023•36 min•Season 13Ep. 3
The opening chapters of the book ‘Game On’ – which featured in audio on the previous episodes of this podcast – mentioned the incredible Kate Richardson Walsh OBE. Kate was captain of the England and GB Hockey team when they won bronze at London 2012, and then went on to win gold in Rio at the 2016 Olympic Games. We’re sharing Kate’s remarkable story again here this week on The Game Changers. Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award. Find out...
Feb 03, 2023•49 min
Hello and welcome to The Game Changers, the podcast that celebrates trailblazing women in sport. I’m Sue Anstiss, and I’d like to start with a big thank you to our partners, Sport England who support The Game Changers through a National Lottery award. I’m excited to say that this 13th series of the podcast will be a serialisation of my book, ‘Game On - The Unstoppable Rise of Women’s Sport’. This second episode features chapter two of the book where I share 12 Game Changing moments in women’s sp...
Jan 31, 2023•59 min•Season 13Ep. 2
Hello and welcome to The Game Changers, the podcast that celebrates trailblazing women in sport. I’m Sue Anstiss, and I’d like to start with a big thank you to our partners, Sport England who support The Game Changers through a National Lottery award. I'm excited to say that this, the13th season of the podcast is a serialisation of my book, Game On: The Unstoppable Rise of Women's Sport. In each episode, you’ll hear a new chapter, covering the history and challenges women’s sport has faced over ...
Jan 31, 2023•31 min•Season 13Ep. 1
In this special episode we’re sharing a roundup of some of the highlights from 2022. First up, Paralympian Hannah Cockcroft talked about being an advocate for all wheelchair users. Next, in a fascinating conversation with Radha Balani from Beyond Sport we addressed the issues of anxiety, depression and eating disorders in WSL footballers. We brought together a powerful panel of experts to explore the issues of women's sport kit. Wendy Taylor from the Youth Sport Trust shared some shocking stats ...
Jan 24, 2023•35 min•Season 12Ep. 9
Sally Munday is CEO of UK Sport and a former CEO of England and GB Hockey. To mark our 100th episode we returned to talk to this extraordinary woman, considered by many to be one of the most influential individuals in British Sport. This episode was also recorded live in front of an audience at Leaders Week London. To find out more about Sally’s early life and the transformative work she did in over 20 years at England Hockey, do go back and listen to episode 3 in the very first series. Sally is...
Dec 20, 2022•47 min•Season 12Ep. 8
Rachel Pavlou was described as the most selfless person in women’s football by former England coach (and a previous guest on this podcast) Hope Powell. Rachel has over 30 years of sports development experience, specialising in the development of women's football at The FA for almost 25 years. Rachel is currently the FA Women’s Development Manager specialising in Diversity & Inclusion. Her main areas of responsibility are to develop football opportunities for females in under-represented comm...
Dec 13, 2022•44 min•Season 12Ep. 7
Garnet Mackinder, Anne Wafula Strike & Shruti Saujani join Sue Anstiss to explore equality in sport. As we fight for gender equality in sport are we doing enough to ensure our approach is intersectional? What needs to change to ensure all women feel welcome in sport from grassroots participation to elite pathways & the boardroom. It’s a topic that can be uncomfortable as people worry they might say the wrong thing or use the wrong language. It’s not just a matter of asking ethnically div...
Dec 06, 2022•49 min•Season 12Ep. 6
