In their new book, ‘The Last Bastion’, a private publication, they explore the historic struggles, hard-won victories and the ongoing fight for progress in a sporting world still largely shaped by men. To mark this milestone, we sat down with Women in Sport to discuss the book, the legacy of their work and what must still be done to create lasting change.

1. What inspired the creation of Women in Sport forty years ago, and what were the biggest challenges you faced in those early days? 

The profound inequality that women and girls faced in sport was the driving force behind the founding of our charity, originally known as the Women’s Sports Foundation. In 1984, vast areas of the sporting landscape remained off limits to women. The FA’s fifty-year ban on women’s football had decimated the women’s game. Many Olympic sports were still restricted to men – women were only permitted to run the marathon in the year our charity was founded. It wasn’t until 2000 that women could compete in the pole vault, and not until 2012 that all Olympic sports were finally open to female athletes.

One of our founders, Dr Anita White CBE, was part of the England team that won the Hockey World Cup in 1975, yet she never had the chance to compete for an Olympic medal, despite men’s hockey being an Olympic sport since 1908.

Equality legislation was another key motivator. The 1975 Sex Discrimination Act, intended to advance women’s rights, had been subverted by men’s groups to diminish women’s opportunities in sport. Using original research, Rachel Hewitt uncovers the shocking reality of the law’s failings in Chapter 3 of The Last Bastion.

Determined to create change in both sport and society, our founders – a group of brilliant women and one man – took action. They were inspired by trailblazers like Billie Jean King, who had launched the Women’s Sports Foundation in the United States in the mid-1970s.

Image taken from Women in Sport’s website.

2. The book’s title, ‘The Last Bastion’, carries significant meaning. Could you explain how this title reflects both the historical struggle and current challenges in women’s sport? 

The title, The Last Bastion, encapsulates both the historical struggle and the ongoing challenges in women’s sport. A bastion is a stronghold, a preserve of privilege, and for much of history, sport was exactly that: largely run by men, for men. In the 1980s, women and girls were systematically excluded, whether through formal bans, lack of investment or cultural resistance.

Our book tells of the battles Women in Sport and its allies have fought to allow women and girls to share in the joy, fulfilment and lifelong benefits of sport. The language of conflict runs throughout the book because this has always been a fight, often the same fights over and over again.  

Even today, men dominate leadership roles in sport. Our latest analysis of the top ten UK sports by participation shows that only 24% of key leadership positions (CEOs, chairs, and performance directors) are held by women. However, progress is happening. In 2025 we are encouraged by a growing network of male allies who are actively working with us to drive meaningful change, including achieving equal leadership at the highest levels of sport.

3. As a private publication, how will The Last Bastion be shared with its intended audience, and what makes this unique publishing approach meaningful for Women in Sport’s story?

We want to honour the extraordinary women on whose shoulders we stand, so we are hosting a 40th anniversary celebration of the charity a few weeks after International Women’s Day. The author, Rachel Hewitt, will speak to an invited audience of current and former staff and supporters about the book and all the research that went into it. 

Further copies will be available through the Women in Sport website for a suggested donation of £20. Our powerful work influencing government and sports organisations, tirelessly advocating for the rights of women and girls in sport and in society is only possible through the generosity of our supporters. 

To ensure The Last Bastion reaches a wider audience, we will also be sharing some of its most thought-provoking and original material through our podcasts, panel discussions and digital content throughout the year.

Image taken from Women in Sport’s Instagram page. 

4. What drew you to work with Whitefox on this significant project, and how did their publishing approach align with your vision for telling Women in Sport’s story?

We had never produced a book before, so we knew we needed to work with a supportive, reputable agency. Whitefox was recommended by the creative producer Richard Kilgariff, who said the team at Whitefox would be well aligned with our values. He was right. At our first meeting with Julia Koppitz, we felt that she ‘got’ us and believed in our book. It helped that we had the brilliant writer Rachel Hewitt signed up. Both Julia and Rosie Pearce have always wanted Rachel’s beautiful prose to shine through.

5. As you delved into the archives and interviewed key figures for ‘The Last Bastion’, what struck you most about Women in Sport’s impact on British sporting culture?

We were struck by just how bold and tenacious women like Eileen Langsley, Margaret Talbot OBE, Celia Brackenridge, Baroness Sue Campbell and many others have been – and continue to be. Taking men like Piers Morgan to task. Driving change for women and girls in the face of significant hostility. 

Eileen Langsley’s story is particularly powerful. Frustrated by the objectifying ‘tits, bums, and crotch’ shots that dominated women’s sports coverage, she reinvented herself from P.E. teacher to sports photographer. Her groundbreaking work transformed the visual narrative of women’s sport, paving the way for the higher-quality, more respectful coverage we see today – coverage that would be almost unrecognisable to a viewer from the 1980s. Women in Sport’s ‘Campaign for Coverage’ also had a lasting impact, influencing print journalists and BBC sports pundits to change their approach, including appointing more women to commentate not just on women’s sport, but on men’s sport as well.

In sports governance too Women in Sport has had a major impact on British sporting culture. This was largely thanks to the 30 per cent rule that Women in Sport helped to incorporate into Sport England’s Code of Governance, which ensured every publicly funded governing body of sport must have a minimum of 30 per cent of one gender on their board. By 2020 women comprised 40 per cent of board members of over a hundred publicly funded sports organisations. 

Crucially, Women in Sport has been responsible for creating the most extensive bank of quantitative and qualitative research about women’s and girls’ sport and physical activity in the UK. Women in Sport has built a panoramic view of the sporting experiences of women and girls across the country, in numerous activities and throughout our lifecycle.

But we cannot be complacent, women’s rights are always vulnerable to anti-feminist backlash, and women’s rights in sport are a particular target. As Rachel Hewitt argues: ‘This is because, to many misogynists, sportswomen are trespassers in a man’s world, and because misogynists are angered by how sport literally empowers women, boosting female strength, self-belief, social community, opportunities and visibility in the public sphere.’

6. How has the rise of social media and digital platforms influenced Women in Sport’s approach to advocacy and community building? 

Social media is a vital tool for an influencing and advocacy charity like Women in Sport and is now perhaps our most influential form of mass communication, allowing us to share our work with hundreds of thousands of people every day.

Our digital channels have allowed us to create a community of people who hear from us regularly and, as a result, are deeply embedded in our mission, values and purpose. The accessibility of social media means that people from all backgrounds can discover our charity, connect with our cause and take action. 

Crucially, advocacy is no longer just about Women in Sport calling for change or pressuring governments, media and sports organisations to act. Now, we have a growing network of passionate supporters who amplify our messages within their own communities, creating a ripple effect that extends our reach far beyond what was possible when we were founded in 1984.

7. If you could dedicate ‘The Last Bastion’ to one person, moment or milestone from the last forty years, what would it be and why? 

Oh, that’s so hard. There are so many incredible women to honour. But Celia Brackenridge must have a special mention. She dedicated her life to standing up for women and children in sport, and though she passed away in 2018, her legacy is profound. The current team at Women in Sport is deeply saddened that we never had the chance to meet her, but we are incredibly grateful to her widow, Diana Woodward, who has been so supportive. We are thrilled that Diana will be joining us for our 40th anniversary.

As for a moment, may I have two? Obviously, the Lionesses victory at the Euros in 2022 was an incredible moment for women’s sport. And also, personally, I loved seeing the Vitality Roses, the England netball team, reach the 2023 World Cup final – they feature on our front cover. We’re working with England Netball and other high-profile national governing bodies on a campaign to support Black girls in sport this year. 

But more than anything we would dedicate this book to anyone who has stood up for a woman’s or girl’s right to enjoy sport. Anyone who has taken aim at the Last Bastion of sexism.

Image taken from Keith Lyons’ website. 

8. How do you hope ‘The Last Bastion’ will influence future discussions about gender equality in sport?

As Olympic Champion Tessa Sanderson CBE writes in our foreword: ‘If the last four decades have taught me anything it is that nothing is guaranteed. This is why the work of Women in Sport is so vital. Every setback we overcome, every time we stay in the fight, is a victory in itself.’ 

The Last Bastion shows us we need to be aware of the tendency for backlash when women and girls make strides towards equality in sport and society. 

At our 40th anniversary conference we called on men to join us in our work, and we have a growing number of brilliant male allies, like former England rugby internationals Brian Moore and Ugo Monye, NGB chairs and board members Tony Sutton and Greg Sturge and the actor and women’s cricket club founder Jim Carter. 

The book also cements our longstanding reputation for research and insight which is so powerful in driving change.

9. What advice would you give to brands or organisations that want to share their own legacy and impact through a book?

These days everything is stored digitally, but if your organisation has been around for more than a decade or two then you will be dealing with physical documents, possibly in multiple locations. We discovered two additional Women in Sport archives we didn’t know existed when we started the book project, including an incredible collection of photographs and posters at the LSE Women’s Library.

I’d also recommend having a great writer and a supportive publishing team. It is tougher than you think at times. We organised and hosted a major conference and a parliamentary event  while we were creating the book. Publishing with Whitefox allowed us the flexibility we needed to create the book alongside the challenges of organising and hosting a major conference and parliamentary event.

Featured image taken from Women in Sport’s website