Sporting bodies in the United Kingdom will soon find out if they meet new government requirements for female board membership.
*The Daily Telegraph* reported that seven of the country’s most popular—and profitable—sports are on track to fail the test.
Out of 14 total UK sporting bodies, seven are set to fail to meet goals set four year ago, including football, rugby union, cricket, cycling and boxing. The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), which governs tennis in Great Britain, is one of the remaining seven that will successfully meet the requirement when a new Code of Governance is launched this month.
Three out of 10 LTA board members are women, helping the association meet a previous condition that at least one quarter of board members be female.
According to the government-appointed funding body Sport England, groups that fail to meet the targets may soon face drastic funding cuts.
Sport England commended tennis for showing leadership in female coaching, citing Andy Murray’s partnership with former coach Amelie Mauresmo as a shining example.
"I would love to see an active programme to get more women wanting to be coaching and not thinking that it is a male-dominated world," Sport England’s Debbie Jevans said. "What Andy Murray did appointing Amélie Mauresmo was great."