Aquatics GB is proud to be one of the major sporting organisations and senior figures from across sport uniting behind an unprecedented cross-sector commitment to make the UK the world's leading nation for women and girls in sport.
The Equal Sport Project unites sport in the UK behind five shared ambitions to accelerate progress towards equality for women and men across sport - from local leisure centres to the biggest stadiums, and from grassroots pitches to boardrooms.
Major sporting organisations from all parts of the UK sporting landscape including the FA, RFU, Youth Sport Trust, England Netball, UK Sport, LTA, Women’s Sport Trust, Women in Sport, Team GB and Sport England have published specific pledges to act and help deliver those ambitions while brands and broadcasters are also among the organisations weighing in to support.
The rest of the industry is also being asked to commit support and pledges as the project seeks to gain momentum in the months and years to come.
The project launch comes at a time when the momentum of women's sport has never been stronger; participation is growing, audiences are growing and investment is accelerating.
But it also recognises that progress remains deeply uneven and that significant inequalities remain across all areas of the sporting system – from community and school sport right up to the highest levels.
Research published earlier this year by Sporting Insights found that fewer than 1% of women working in sport believe gender equality has been achieved across the industry, while more than half believe they are paid less than men for carrying out the same role.
Women's sport also continues to receive a disproportionately small share of media coverage, accounting for around 9% of broadcast sports coverage on key channels and 8% of prime-time sports coverage. Meanwhile, gendered attitudes are increasing, with 41% of boys agreeing some sports are for boys and nearly two-thirds (64%) of girls want to be more active; confidence, body image, unequal facilities and gender stereotypes continue to present barriers to participation.
These barriers are reflected in a persistent gender gap in physical activity, with less than half (46%) of girls active compared to over half (52%) of boys. For adults in England, a stubborn gender activity gap persists, with half a million fewer active women than men, according to Sport England’s most recent Active Lives Data.
Aquatics GB's key involvements sit across two projects:
- Female leadership in high performance development programme - In partnership with UK Sport, launching a female leadership programme in January 2027 having taken a system leader in establishing and designing this course. The first cohort will have 20 females from across the high-performance system and with the aim being to get approximately 10 candidates from Aquatics GB. At a headline level the aim is to develop high-potential females across GB into confident, strategic, and impactful leaders capable of leading teams, influencing organisations, and shaping the future of the GB High Performance system. The aim is to support females in roles that will impact in LA and create longer term sustainability for Brisbane.
- PhD Examining Female High-Performance Environments in Aquatics GB. Undertaken by Anna Hopkins ex GB swimmer and Olympic medalist. The research will focus on the following aspects.
- Explore the lived experiences of female athletes, coaches, and senior leaders across aquatic disciplines and stages of the performance pathway, with particular attention to elite contexts.
- Examine how Aquatics GB policies, cultures, performance structures, and social relations shape everyday practice and support or constrain high-level performance.
- Co-develop evidence-informed, female-centred approaches to creating high-performance environments in which athletes, coaches and leaders can thrive.
- Co-develop recommendations to support Aquatics GB in strengthening its intentions, initiatives, and policies relating to gender balance, equality, and opportunities for women