Latest news with #womeninsports
CBC
4 days ago
- Sport
- CBC
Cricket's popularity is growing in Waterloo region, especially among women
Cricket has been gaining in popularity in Canada for the past few years. In Waterloo region, the sport has garnered more attention especially among women. CBC K-W's John Dalusong joined two local cricket teams during their practice, and he spoke to a few players about the growth of the sport in the region and why they love it so much.
Forbes
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Snapchat & TOGETHXR Team Up To Empower Women Athlete Digital Creators
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 16: Michelle Alozie of Nigeria poses for a portrait during the official ... More FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 portrait session on July 16, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) Snapchat and TOGETHXR have joined forces in a first of its kind partnership to address one of the most persistent inequities in sports: the gender gap in media exposure and earning potential. The initiative, called Snap the Gap, is a content accelerator program designed to help up and coming women athletes grow their personal brands, expand their audiences, and unlock sustainable revenue through Snapchat's creator tools and storytelling platform. Launched by TOGETHXR, the media and commerce company founded by sports icons Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, Simone Manuel, and Sue Bird, the program reflects both organizations' shared mission to change the game for women in sports, both on and off the field. Snapchat & TOGETHXR Snap The Gap SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 3: Erica Wheeler #17 of the Seattle Storm celebrates with fans after the ... More win against the Dallas Wings at Climate Pledge Arena on June 3, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) 'We are thrilled to partner with Snapchat on Snap the Gap, a first of its kind female athlete creators program on the platform,' said Paula Hughes, TOGETHXR's Chief Digital Officer. 'This collaboration lowers the barrier to entry for revenue opportunities for the athletes, who not only excel in competition, but who are also shaping culture and growing communities across women's sports.' The program supports nine standout athletes, each selected for their athletic excellence and cultural influence. They include: Snapchat & TOGETHXR Align Mentorship And Monetization OTTAWA, ONTARIO - MARCH 25: Sarah Fillier #10 of the New York Sirens celebrates her goal against the ... More Ottawa Charge during the third period of their PWHL game at The Arena at TD Place on March 25, 2025 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Photo by) These athletes will receive direct mentorship from Snapchat and content development support from TOGETHXR. The goal is to turn their athletic journeys into compelling, monetizable storytelling, allowing them to grow their audiences, build their brands, and unlock new revenue streams. 'At Snapchat, we've seen how powerful it can be when athletes share their journeys in their own words,' said Emma Wakely, Snapchat Sports and Media Partnerships Manager. 'With mentorship, tools, and a platform built for real storytelling, we're helping them shape the future of women's sports on their terms.' This effort comes at a pivotal moment. Women's sports are experiencing unprecedented momentum, yet female athletes continue to receive a fraction of the media coverage and sponsorship opportunities that male athletes enjoy. Programs like Snap the Gap aim to shift that reality by giving athletes the tools and support they need to own their narratives and grow their careers outside of competition. Snapchat's sports footprint makes it a powerful partner. Snapchat & TOGETHXR An Athlete Owned Future TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 2: KK Arnold #2 of the UConn Huskies during the 2025 NCAA Women's Final Four ... More Media Day at the Tampa Convention Center on April 2, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) 'Snapchat is a platform I use often, and I'm excited to continue to grow my brand doing something that I genuinely enjoy,' said Alozie. 'Snapchat and TOGETHXR are making it possible for women's sports and women athletes to gain visibility and opportunity by showcasing who we are both on and off the field.' As the landscape of women's sports continues to evolve, Snap the Gap offers a compelling blueprint for what's next: a future where athletes are not only celebrated for their performance, but also empowered as storytellers, brand-builders, and leaders in a new era of digital media.
BBC News
13-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Football saved my life, says Afghan national team captain
The former captain of an Afghan national women's football team has said the game saved her life, after fleeing the country when the Taliban seized Nawroozi, 27, and her teammates from the Women's Development youth team left Afghanistan in 2021 along with many other citizens, after fearing for their safety as a women's sports a coach at Harrogate Town AFC, Ms Nawroozi wants to share her passion for the game with other refugee women and girls in North Yorkshire, by setting up a free said: "If I wasn't a football player, I'd never have chance to get out. Football saved my life." When Ms Nawroozi first decided to take up football, her father was supportive - but her mother needed a bit more convincing."She said 'if you play football, you won't marry anybody'. It was important to her that I got married to a good person," she said."I didn't listen because I really wanted to do it. But she's really supportive now."She knows I love football, and she knows how football has helped all of our lives."When the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan, Ms Nawroozi and her family did not leave the house for five days, while they worked out what to do next to stay safe. She emailed a footballer who had left the country 10 years earlier, who then put her in touch with Leeds United club offered to help secure visas and travel arrangements out of Afghanistan, via Afghan team and their families were due to fly out of Kabul, but security warnings stopped them reaching the airport, hours before it was struck by a bomb. Eventually, they successfully made it to Pakistan but the arrival came with mixed emotions for Ms Nawroozi."All the way from the border to the hotel, I was crying. I feel I lost my heart, I feel I lost my mother, I feel I lost my everything," she final leg of the journey to the UK was still proving to be a challenge - and help came from an unexpected reality TV star Kim Kardashian came to the refugees' aid, covering the cost of chartering a plane to Stansted Airport, and paying for the squad's onward travel and accommodation. However relieved and grateful she may have been, Ms Nawroozi admitted she had never heard of the celebrity before."I didn't know who Kim Kardashian [was] and I thought, 'maybe she's a really rich woman," she explained."I didn't know she's a celebrity. She's a really good woman."Today, Ms Nawroozi is still involved in the sport she settled in North Yorkshire, she works with Harrogate Town AFC as a coach for community groups associated with the this year, the club announced she was its Premier League Communities Captain for 2025. Ms Nawroozi said it was hard to "build from zero" during her first year in the UK."The hardest thing was that we left our country forever [and] we need to accept that," she said."But now I love it; I love my job, my friends and colleagues."Alongside her coaching, Ms Nawroozi is studying her GCSEs at Harrogate College, with the ambition of attending the University of York as a psychology dream is to set up a football team for refugees in the county later this year, so they can enjoy the sport free of charge."I don't want them to just play football, I want them to learn to be a good player, to build a good future," she added. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Female cyclist who refused to share podium with 'hidden' trans rival defends protest that left crowd stunned
Female cyclist Julie Cutts Peterson has defended her decision to 'take a stand' against a transgender rival during a recent event. Peterson came second in a women's national championship race in Wisconsin last week after being beaten by Kate 'KJ' Phillips, who was born a biological male. In response, Peterson refused to take to the podium - alongside Phillips - and later insisted that she 'did not want to race against a man'. The statement, according to Peterson, drew shock from the fans in attendance but now the veteran cyclist has defended her actions on the day. In an interview with Fox News, Peterson explained that both herself and race leader Debbie Milne had been overtaken by 'KJ' in the final sprint. 'Out of nowhere came third-place KJ and beat us both in the sprint. After the race, I was angry because I knew what had happened,' she explained. 'I've raced hundreds of races against women, thousands in group rides - sprinting against men - and I knew, in that sprint, that was a man's sprint'. She continued: 'At the finish line I was upset. I said 'I did not want to race against a man'. In my mind I was like, 'I can say that, I have freedom of speech.' 'I was raised believing in the Bible where men are created by God and God created women from men, I was born and raised in America, where I learned my pronouns, and I took science classes that taught me about XX and XY and I believe that most Americans and people worldwide would support men not being in women's categories. 'There is no amount of makeup, money, or marketing that can change that Y-chromosome, and that's why we are taking a stand'. Peterson also insisted that the transgender athlete's name was not on the registration list on the day - which was previously revealed by fellow race competitor Milne. In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Milne said that she believes Phillips' presence in the race was 'hidden' from competitors beforehand. Milne, who ultimately finished seventh in the event, said she spent $400 and drove 13 hours from Greenville, South Carolina to attend the race. While she saw a photo from a competitor showing that Phillips had apparently registered on June 16, Milne doesn't believe USAC was 'transparent' and doesn't want to race again until that changes. The Daily Mail has reached out to USAC and Phillips for comment. Debbie Milne traveled 13 hours for the race and said she was not aware Phillips was competing 'I should have been able to see it. I should have been able to look someone up and decide if I'm even going to make the trip until they get the policies worked out,' she said. 'I'm a board certified sports dietician. It's been established that there's a biological advantage if someone is born male... I love people... But the fact is that the person I raced today was born a biological male. 'And if I had known that, I could at least not just decide that I don't want to invest my money and my time in this, until the policies follow what the science has indicated at this point.' As per the USAC's latest policy on transgender athletes from last year, which separates athletes into Group A and Group B, transgender athletes are allowed to compete under specific guidelines. For Group A (higher-level) athletes, an 'elite athlete fairness evaluation' must be reviewed and approved by an independent medical panel, with athletes having to meet certain testosterone thresholds to compete. For Group B athletes, they must submit a 'self identity verification request', which is reviewed by the organization's technical director. National championships (except for those which are governed by USAC's parent organization, UCI) are treated as Group A events, meaning that Phillips - in theory - would have to qualify as such. Milne, who has been in touch with the Independent Council on Women's Sports (ICONS), said that race organizers did not acknowledge to her or other cyclists afterwards that Phillips' name was seemingly not on the registration, and that she didn't hear an explanation given as to why that happened. Phillips, whose Instagram bio reads 'sport is for EVERYONE', previously wrote in the comments on a Zwift Insider profile about her that exclusionary 'rhetoric actually hurts women's cycling... it perpetuates patriarchy and misogyny.' 'I have been competing in sports for longer than many other women, 20 years within the IOC guidelines (yeah, I was the 1st US trans athlete under the 2004 IOC rules when I played rugby; I am way proud of that), and sadly the uptick in pushback came when gay marriage was no longer the issue de jour,' she wrote last year. 'There is a faction out there that just can't stand seeing change. Now the focus is on trans/non-gender conformity, which has hit the list of hyped controversy and hate, and the followers of this thought won't or don't want to take the time to see that there isn't a problem…that MORE women (WTFNB [women, trans, femme and non-binary] included) are better for all sports.' Milne's comments come as the University of Pennsylvania agreed to resolve alleged Title IX violations over the school's transgender former swimmer, Lia Thomas. The Department of Education said that the school will ban trans athletes from women's competitions and erase Thomas from the school's record books.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Longtime WNBA Official: 'Our Players Just Don't Get It'
Longtime WNBA Official: 'Our Players Just Don't Get It' originally appeared on The Spun. A longtime WNBA official made a telling admission to USA TODAY journalist Christine Brennan. Brennan, a longtime sports reporter and columnist, took a lot of heat last year for her Caitlin Clark coverage. She asked WNBA guard DiJonai Carrington following an Indiana Fever vs. Connecticut Sun game if she intentionally poked Clark in the eye. The WNBA Players' Association was not happy. Advertisement The WNBAPA called for Brennan, a respected journalist, to lose her media credential. WNBA Players' Association executive director Terri Jackson was furious. Jackson called Brennan's question "a blatant attempt to bait a professional athlete into participating in a narrative that is false and designed to fuel racist, homophobic and misogynistic vitriol on social media." She called for USA TODAY to punish Brennan. "USA Today Sports should explain why a reporter with clear bias and ulterior motives was assigned to cover the league," Jackson added. Brennan, who is releasing a book, "On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women's Sports," spoke to a longtime WNBA official who admitted that most women's basketball players just don't get it when it comes to media coverage. Advertisement WNBA players are now facing the kind of media coverage that NFL, MLB, NBA, etc. players have faced for decades. "Unfortunately, most of our players have zero idea what real media exposure is," the league official told Brennan. "They don't know what real coverage is, they have been shielded at college, and then they come to the WNBA not knowing what real questions are. Frankly, our players just don't get it." UNCASVILLE, CT - JUNE 10: DiJonai Carrington #21 of the Connecticut Sun plays defense against Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever during the game on June 10, 2024 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Photo by Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images)As the WNBA increases in popularity, so too, will the media coverage. It's not always going to be positive. And there are going to be hard questions. That is something the league should welcome, though, as it's a clear sign of growth. Advertisement But will they? Longtime WNBA Official: 'Our Players Just Don't Get It' first appeared on The Spun on Jul 6, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
