No Women Make UK’s Top 100 Sporting Rich List

A Sunday Times sporting rich list study revealed that 7 of the 11 wealthiest sportspeople in the UK and Irish Republic are current and former racing drivers with McLaren F1 driver and former World Champion Lewis Hamilton (£50m (US$80.9m)) joining names like Johnny Dumfries (£110m ($178m)) and Eddie Irvine (£80m ($129.5m)) towards the top of list.

Hamilton saw his wealth grow by £15m ($24.3m) in the past year but the top two places stayed with Wigan chairman Dave Whelan (£190m ($307.4m)) and soccer icon David Beckham (£135m ($218.4m)) with no women earning enough to make the top 100.

Boxer Lennox Lewis (£95m ($153.7m)) and former rugby union player Sir Tony O’Reilly were the only other non-racers in the top 11, which saw three men tied in 9th spot.

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, whose fortune increased by £4m ($6.5m) to £37m ($59.9m), climbed up to 17th place alongside England manager Fabio Capello.

Others who saw their wealth increase sharply in the past year include Fran Cotton and Steve Smith (both £28m ($45.3m)), former rugby players and owners of the Cotton Traders sportswear company, and golfers Colin Montgomerie (£25m ($40.5m)) and Luke Donald (£19m ($30.7m)).

Out of the top 100 richest sportspeople, 51 are associated with soccer, 14 with motor racing and 11 with golf.