Football regulator delay offers chance to discuss reparations for women’s game| Kelly Simmons

The general election has put the government’s legislation for an Independent Football Regulator on hold. With both the Conservatives and Labour supporting the proposal, it should return to parliament regardless of who wins. This delay provides an ideal opportunity for a rethink. To date, the women’s game hasn’t been properly considered in the discussions and deliberations. Let’s start with the IFR’s name. It’s actually the independent men’s football regulator as the women’s game hasn’t been included. Language is important and this plays to an outdated narrative that the women’s game doesn’t count. I’ve heard various reasons as to why the women’s game was excluded; from not wanting to add another layer of complexity into the mix and risk stalling the bill, through to giving the women’s game a chance to self-regulate and not wanting to stifle new investment opportunities available to it. But this feels to me like a huge, missed opportunity for the women’s game. A look at its impending powers is also revealing. Firstly, it would have backstop powers to resolve the long-running saga between the Premier League and the English Football League regarding solidarity payments that flow down the men’s pyramid. This is currently worth £130m per...