Petition Greater gender equity in sports funding and the media

The recent announcement of the 2011 BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist has highlighted the disproportionately low representation of women's sport in the British media and inequitable spending on sport by the government.

Time after time our female athletes and aspiring young sportswomen are made to feel that even if they achieve the highest possible accolades in their field, they will not receive the recognition they deserve.

We believe that this is unjust and ask that:

1. the government pledge to improve gender equity in funding of British sport.

2. pressure be put on the British media to give more attention, column inches and air-time to women's sport.

3. the BBC fully review its nomination and final decision procedures for the Sports Personality of the Year Awards, so as to improve representation for female athletes who deserve to be recognised, and justify the revised or retained procedures to TV license payers.