Between US President Donald Trump’s signing of an executive order banning trans athletes from women’s sports, to the announcement that the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 tournament has found a corporate sponsor in Unilever, it has been a big few weeks for female athletes.
Speaking with Insurance Business, Imogen Mitchell-Webb (pictured), an international casualty lawyer and partner and head of the sports team at HF, highlighted some of the key trends shaping women’s sports in early 2025. Hers is a role that sees her support clients with claims relating to injuries, property damage and financial losses, she said, and so she has a broad perspective on unfolding insurance coverage disputes – and the risk management procedures required to offset them.
Webb noted that women’s sports are growing in popularity and, from a UK perspective, women’s football is leading the charge. The creation of Women’s Professional Leagues Limited - the new commercial entity which owns the WSL and Women’s Championship - is set to streamline development of the sport. Women’s rugby is also gaining traction, she said, and this will continue with the Women’s World Cup being hosted in the UK this year.
“The obvious positive commercial impact of this increasing popularity is, however, offset by other trends arising in the insurance and risk world,” she said. “The desire to capitalise on new global markets has led to busier calendars for key sports such as rugby, football and tennis, putting athletes under an unprecedented level of strain.”
The prevalence of ACL injuries in women’s football is a well-publicised example which has brought some pervasive women’s welfare concerns to the fore. For example, she said, the suitability of kit designed for men’s bodies, the risks associated with athletes playing on second rate pitches, and potential deficiencies in strength and conditioning training.
Webb highlighted that female athlete welfare is becoming a more high-profile topic. For example, World Rugby created a steering group for women’s rugby in 2021 with the task of investing in health surveillance and research and considering areas where a women-specific approach should be adopted in respect of laws, training and procedures. “Many welcome an approach which distinguishes between female and male athletes, as opposed to assuming a one size fits all approach to welfare and risk management.”
Another key trend relates to the regulation and governance of transgender athletes within sport. “At present,” she said, “there is no consensus between sports in respect of transgender athlete eligibility for female and male sporting categories, and as to use of ‘open’ categories. This has already given rise to some high-profile disputes, including the ongoing dispute between Caster Semenya and World Athletics, and we can expect further developments in this space in the future.”
Touching on some of the pressing emerging risks impacting sports clients today, Webb highlighted that within the sports world, the scope and extent of risks arising at live sports events are being influenced by climate change and other cultural and geopolitical factors.
“One key example is risks arising from global warming, including the increased risks of extreme weather events, and risks to athlete welfare from pushing their bodies to the limits in rising temperatures,” she said. “These risks came to the fore this summer, as the Paris 2024 Olympics were the hottest on record.
“Equally, the risks of civil disruption are also an increasing concern to insurers and event organisers. At the worst end of the scale, there are perceived risks of terrorist attacks from a wide range of global threats, and at the lower end of the scale there are multiple sources of civil unrest at present, such as the war in Gaza, the Russia / Ukraine war and political extremism.”
Beyond physical threats, she said, there is also the separate and ever-developing risk of cyber threats. In a world where organisations are increasingly reliant on digital infrastructure, and broadcasting revenue is typically a major source of income, the risk of broadcasting or system disruption is an increasingly concerning issue.
Touching on the role of the broker in equipping sporting organisations with the right support, advice and coverage, Webb emphasised the “really important” role they play in helping sports organisations to obtain the right cover, comply with any relevant terms and submit claims. Brokers should have a detailed knowledge of the types of cover available in the market, she said, so that they’re in a position to recommend the right suite of cover to a policyholder.
In addition, she said, brokers need to have an understanding of the specific products offered by different insurers, so they can ensure the limits of indemnity and specific terms are fit for purpose. “Some specialist brokers will even partner with carriers to create bespoke products that address gaps in the market.
“We work closely with insurers, organisations and brokers and something I often hear is that although sports organisations increasingly understand the importance of obtaining cover and therefore are increasingly willing to invest in it, there can be a lack of understanding about what their policies cover.”
Contingency cover for cancellation or event disruption is a good example, Webb said. Demand has grown since the pandemic for obvious reasons, but many sports and other event organisers are unclear on what is and is not covered, for example, if an event is affected by poor as opposed to extreme weather. “Brokers should act as the expert advisor in these situations and ensure the policyholder understands the scope of cover in advance of events, to ensure that expectations are managed on all sides,” she said.
