14. Debbie Hewitt, Football Association chair
The former RAC chief executive became the FA’s first chairwoman in January 2022. The 60-year-old later became the first woman to beat a male opponent to a seat on the Fifa Council, as a vice-president. Hewitt is not afraid to speak her mind and is helping to drive positive change at the FA, including much-needed reforms to its council. In a report made public by Fifa this month, Hewitt accused former Spain federation president Luis Rubiales of “inappropriate” conduct towards England players at the Women’s World Cup medal ceremony, including forcefully kissing Lucy Bronze.
Jason Burt
13. Lise Klaveness, Norway FA president
Klaveness, a former international footballer, worked as a lawyer, assistant judge and special advisor in Norway’s National Bank before she was elected as president of the Norway federation in 2022. The 42-year-old rose to prominence last year for her scathing attacks on Fifa and Qatar, saying the World Cup had been awarded in “unacceptable ways”. Last month she returned to Qatar and told Fifa it “has a responsibility to deliver the legacy it said it would”.
Sam Dean
12. Sulekha Varma, Clerk of the course at Aintree
Varma endured something of a false start as the first female clerk of the course at Aintree when, two months in, the 2020 Grand National was called off because of Covid. The world’s most famous race finds itself under pressure from different directions, including the animal rights lobby, and she is its custodian. She is the lead on decisions on any physical changes to the course, from lowering or moving the fences, and, as she has done this year, reducing the field size from 40 to 34. That is a big responsibility.
Marcus Armytage
11. Debbie Jevans, All England Club chair
Jevans has already filled several of the most scrutinised roles in British sport, such as her term as Locog’s director of sport during the 2012 Olympics and a spell as chief executive of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Now she is chair of the All England Club – the first woman to hold the position – and is playing a key role in Wimbledon’s expansion plans. Of her goals, she says: “One of our challenges is, as you say, to demonstrate how open we are. I do want Wimbledon to be aspirational: aspirational to win it, aspirational to become a member.”
Simon Briggs
10. Vinesh Phogat, Wrestler
A three-time Commonwealth champion and one of India’s most accomplished wrestlers, Phogat has been instrumental in driving a “Me Too” moment in Indian sport after accusing Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the chief of the Wrestling Federation Of India, of sexual misconduct. Along with other female wrestlers, the 29-year-old put her training on hold for this year’s World Championships to stage a series of sit-in protests in Delhi, jeopardising India’s medal prospects at next year’s Olympics. Her actions have sparked a national conversation about patriarchy in sport and the treatment of female athletes. Singh has denied all the allegations.
Fiona Tomas
9. Baroness Grey-Thompson, Former Paralympian, administrator
One of Britain’s greatest and yet most down-to-earth athletes. Grey-Thompson has followed her trailblazing achievements – 11 Paralympic golds, more than 30 world records and six London Marathon wins – with a distinguished career in politics and sports administration. She led a duty-of-care review into sport and, while the recommendation for a sports ombudsman has yet to be implemented, other important reforms have followed. She is also a huge champion of physical activity, particularly campaigning to improve opportunities for girls and women and to ensure that disabled fans and participants can access sport.
Jeremy Wilson
8. Charlotte Edwards, Cricket coach
Not all great sportspeople can translate their skill into being top coaches. But Edwards was England women’s greatest batter, and now women’s cricket’s first super-coach. She has won the Big Bash in Australia, the Women’s Premier League in India, the Hundred, and both regional titles in England – including one named after her. A fine talent-spotter and developer with excellent communication skills, she has the respect of all she comes across. It is a question of when, not if, she coaches England, but for now Edwards is very happy gathering experience on the lucrative franchise circuit.
Will Macpherson
7. Emma Hayes, Chelsea Women coach
The most successful coach in Women’s Super League history, having lifted a record-extending sixth title in 2023, Hayes will soon become the highest-paid female football coach in the world after agreeing to take charge of the United States women’s national team. The 47-year-old is always one to speak her mind and recently discussed the “systemic misogyny” women can experience in sport. She has also continued to advocate for further improvements in research around women’s health and for elite performance environments being specifically tailored for women.
Tom Garry
6. Coco Gauff, Tennis player
A big year for Gauff on the court saw her lift her first major title at the US Open and earn almost £18 million, according to a Sportico list that claimed she was the best-paid sportswoman of 2023. Politically, she continued to be the most engaged player on the tour. One example came during that run to the title in New York, when her semi-final was disrupted for almost an hour by climate-change protesters. Gauff declined to criticise the intervention, saying: “I believe in climate change… I know it was about the environment. I 100 per cent believe in that.”
Simon Briggs
