Fewer Female British Athletes in Top 10 Sponsorship Earners List than Before London 2012

There are less women in the top ten list of Olympic sponsorship earners now than there were before the London 2012 Olympic Games, according to a new report.

Sky Sports News are reporting that despite Team GB having a successful London 2012, British women athletes have largely missed out on sponsorship  money.

Jessica Ennis-Hill is the exception, along with Victoria Pendleton and Rebecca Adlington – both of whom have retired.

Ennis-Hill is therefore the only woman still competing to make it into the top ten sponsorship earners based on income related exclusively to the Games.

Director of brandRapport, Nigel Currie said: “Men have taken the high ground.

“They’ve got all the limelight, they’ve got the big contracts and there’ve been very few women that have actually secured the type of sponsorship that they thought they would from the success at the Olympics.”

Former athlete Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, who won 11 gold medals in four Paralympic Games said that companies need to change their ways.

“Brands need to recognise the value in terms of sponsoring women and also women’s sport,” she said. “They are probably cheaper to buy into at the moment. They are very good value for money.

“Some of it comes down to the female athletes themselves and how they promote themselves and also the agents. The reality is, most men are agents in sport.”