‘Keep covering heroines of sport’ call

British broadcasters and newspaper chiefs were brought together yesterday by the Government with a plea to maintain coverage for women’s sport.

The meeting was called and hosted by Culture Secretary Maria Miller on the back of the London 2012 Games success.

The Games made household names of champions including cyclist Dame Sarah Storey, heptathlete Jessica Ennis, boxer Nicola Adams and rower Kath Grainger.

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The problem is that outside the Olympics and Paralympics, women’s sport is fighting a losing battle for coverage.

Ms Miller said: “The London 2012 Games produced many outstanding performances from our female athletes and really raised the profile of women’s sport.

“It is vital that we build on that as a key part of our legacy from London’s Games, to get more girls and women playing sport.

“I have been encouraged by the positive steps that broadcasters have taken over the past six months in showing women’s sport, but we need to keep up that momentum.”

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Representatives from the BBC, ITV, Sky, the Women’s Commission for the Future of Women’s Sport, Telegraph, Times and Sunday Times and sports bodies including British Cycling, British Rowing, England Netball and the Football Association were invited to the meeting.

Comment: Page 12.