Shorts: Itf, British Cycling, Hull Kr
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has announced its Q1 calendar of events on the ITF World Tennis Tour, as it continues its drive for gender parity.
The schedule offers 114 tournaments (up 15 on 2022) and a record $3.3m (£2.7m) for professional female players, as well as a new ‘World Tennis Masters Tour – Young Cup’ (W40) level of competition worth $40,000 (£32,000) in prize money.
The ITF has also revealed today that total prize money on the 2023 ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour will increase by 10% to a record $16.5m (£13.5m).
The move is part of the ITF’s ‘Advantage All’ commitment to develop and maintain tennis as an equal advantage sport for all.
Mary Pierce, a member of the ITF’s Board of Directors and Chair of the ITF Women’s Player Panel said, “The ITF is committed to gender equality and inclusion in general at all levels of the game and on a global basis. We’ve put a lot of focus on this through our Advantage All commitment designed to develop tennis as an equal opportunities sport. That’s been driving a lot of investment, decisions and action in the professional game, including the creation of the W40 category of tournaments announced today.
“We’ve also worked hard to structure a calendar of opportunities for men and women on the ITF World Tennis Tour that makes playing and touring easier to schedule and more cost-effective for our professional players, coaches and families.”
British Cycling’s Cycling Delivery Director, Danielle Every, has been announced as the new Chief Operating Officer of PGMOL, the body which oversees professional football referees and match officials in England.
Every, who is currently Acting CEO at British Cycling, will continue in her role until Spring 2023 with the process to recruit a permanent CEO still ongoing.
After joining the organisation from Pentathlon GB in 2018, as Cycling Delivery Director Danielle was crucial in the development of bespoke regional delivery plans for each of the 10 English regions, the long-term plans for the cycling disciplines published in June 2021, and more recently supporting the sport’s recovery from the impact of Covid-19.
She said, “I have loved my four years at British Cycling and will leave feeling incredibly proud of what we have achieved, and the positive impact we continue to have through our work. Over the coming months I am wholly committed to setting us on the right path as we move into another busy and exciting year of activity and ensuring a seamless and positive transition to a new CEO.”
Super League rugby league club Hull KR has announced an extension to its partnership with the United Kingdom’s largest healthcare charity Nuffield Health for the upcoming campaign.
The continuation of the deal with Nuffield Health will see the company serve as the club’s official health and fitness partner for 2023 allowing the players to utilise the facilities and products.
The partnership will provide Hull KR players with access to its facilities across the country to help them recover from training and match days.
Nuffield will also continue to be displayed on Sewell Group Craven Park’s LED advertising boards.
This is the second sponsor the Robins has secured in two days as they also announced a new partnership with pet food supplier ProDog Raw on 7th December.
The Professional Cricketers’ Association has announced five new additions to the Non-Executive Board of Directors.
Following a PCA Board Meeting, Caroline Artis, Hannah Bowe, Siobhan Newmarch and Professor Swaran Preet Singh join Simone Pound, who officially took up her post in September 2022, as appointments as Non-Executive Directors.
The PCA moved to strengthen its board following consultation with the current playing board.
The PCA instructed Perrett Laver to conduct the seven-month process that led to the outstanding candidates joining the Board.
