BBC must take action over sexist sports coverage, says Maria Miller

Culture secretary Maria Miller has attacked the BBC in excess of its sexist Wimbledon exposure, and said that she is to refuse the Open golf championship since it is being held at the Muirfield club, which refuses to confess women members.

Maria Miller has written a scornful letter to Tony Hall, the director general of the BBC, demanding to know "any further action is likely to be taken" over Wimbledon commentator John Inver dale’s sexist comments.

Inver dale provoked outrage when he said that women's champion Marion Bartoli was "never going to be a looker, you'll never be a Sharapova so you have to be scrappy and fight?", prompting more than 700 complaints to the BBC.

Maria Miller, who is also minister for women and equalities, said that she is particularly concerned about the BBC incident as she has identified increased coverage of women's sport as a top priority.

"It is therefore a matter of some concern to me that any comment on the looks and stature of a female athlete could be made in the context of one of the UK's, and indeed the world's, sporting calendar," she said in a letter sent to the corporation last week.

She said that the BBC had not gone far enough with Inverdale's apologies, both on-air and in a letter to Bartoli, and that she wanted to see more action.

"I would be grateful for an update on any further action that is likely to be taken following these complaints, and whether there may be positive steps that the BBC could take in the future to ensure that the perception of and commentary on female athletes, and women's sport generally, are as positive and inclusive as possible."

Miller and Hugh Robertson, the sports minister, intend to boycott the Open golf championship because of the Edinburgh club's refusal to admit women members.

Inverdale is to anchor the BBC's coverage of the event.

A government aide said that the good work of the London Olympics, which has seen an estimated 1 million more women playing sport as a result, is threatened by the BBC's attitude and actions such as the continued support of sexism in golf.

"There are still national sporting events being held at clubs that refuse to allow women members and BBC journalists referring to women in a sexist and derogatory fashion at a highlight of the British sporting calendar," said a source close to Miller. "The culture secretary is clear that this is a problem which can't be ignored."

Miller's letter was copied into Lord Patten, the chairman of the BBC Trust.

In the last year Miller has hosted several round tables with broadcasters about how to improve the coverage of women's sport.

The BBC has increased its output in this area, most recently broadcasting the women's Euro 2013 football tournament.

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Source: Guardian