Fair play - The sports podcast from Penningtons Manches Cooper

The business of women’s sport: where we are and what comes next

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 11:40:03 GMT

In this episode, we speak with Genevieve Gordon-Thompson (CEO of Tactic Connect and Director of Commercial and Legal at Netball Players Association) and Cat Watson (Managing Director at Pitch International) about the commercialisation of women’s sport and how the landscape has evolved over the past decade. From the growing influence of broadcasters and sponsors to changing fan behaviours and emerging commercial models, they share their perspectives on the opportunities and challenges shaping the sector.

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Beyond the tackle: Understanding long term brain health in sport

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:13:03 GMT

In this episode, we speak to Nathan Howarth, Executive Director of Concussion Legacy Foundation UK (CLF). Nathan has spent more than 5 years researching the impact of concussion on long term brain health and is committed to advancing understanding and research in the field. Alongside his role at CLF, he is also a research fellow at the University of Exeter, Co-Director of the concussion legacy project at the University of Oxford Brain Bank and in his spare time, rugby referee. We explore the benefits and limitations of emerging technology - such as smart mouthguards - that are becoming increasingly common in rugby. Nathan also shares insights into the research and education initiatives led by CLF and the changes needed across sport to better protect athletes from the long-term effects of brain injuries.

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Challenging motorsport’s wealth gap: Inside Forseti’s vision

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:37:41 GMT

In this episode, we sit down with Jordan Albert and Fraser Singleton, co founders of Forseti Race, to explore Jordan’s entry into motorsport and the financial and practical barriers he faced at grassroots level. With costs including cars and fuel to track fees - and with a single set of tyres costing up to £1,000 and often needing to be replaced multiple times per session - the sport remains inaccessible to most aspiring drivers. Recognising how strongly family wealth influences progression, Jordan and Fraser founded Forseti. By developing technology that bridges the gap between esports and real world racing, their mission is to reduce the financial burden of pursuing a motorsport career. In this episode, we discuss Forseti’s technology and the future role of e-sports, AI and technology in talent development, to create a more accessible and inclusive future for motorsport.

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Smarter and safer: How AI is rewriting the rules of sport

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 14:50:25 GMT

In this episode we are joined by Luke Middleton, Head of advisory board, Global Tech Advocates - SportsTech, where he plays a key role in driving innovation and collaboration across the global sportstech ecosystem. Combining his passion for AI and rugby, Luke is undertaking a PhD focused on the application of artificial intelligence in rugby union, while also building an injury prediction AI model. With a focus on injury prevention, this episode explores how AI could reshape the global sports industry; the challenges and opportunities it presents; and critically, the ethical considerations surrounding athlete's data rights. We also delve into how Luke's model could uncover injury patterns and identify what injuries an athlete is at high, medium and low risk of based on thousands of data points. As AI continues to evolve, will we see it making sports smarter and safer?

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Hoops and dreams: Andrew Lawrence’s Olympic honour and hopes for British basketball

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 16:25:20 GMT

In this episode, we are joined by 2012 Olympian Andrew Lawrence. From playing basketball for Great Britain Under-20s, to going to the US on a full college scholarship and then playing professionally in Europe, we speak about his career, injuries, and everything in between. We also talk about basketball in Britain, its lack of funding, plus Andrew’s hopes for the future and what we’re doing to create and retain basketball talent in the country.

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Shooting straight: the archery career of Pippa Britton OBE

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 10:48:25 GMT

In this episode, we speak to Pippa Britton OBE to explore her incredible journey in the world of archery. Pippa shares her experiences, challenges, and triumphs, offering a unique perspective as both a Paralympian and able-bodied competitor for Wales. We delve into her major surgeries, her experience at the Paralympics, classifications, the importance of inclusivity, her board level roles in the governance side of sport and the upcoming Paralympics in Paris.

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Overtraining and under-eating: Bobby Clay's cautionary tale

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 08:00:16 GMT

We are joined by Bobby Clay, a once rising star in British athletics whose Olympic dreams were shattered by a diagnosis of osteoporosis at just 19 years old. In this episode, she shares her journey from being a top 1500m runner to facing the realities of overtraining and under-eating.

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Raising the bar: A conversation with Jenny Tong

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 09:05:12 GMT

GB weightlifter Jenny Tong joins us for a conversation on her life before finding weightlifting, her journey as an athlete and battle with injuries to become English and British champion in 2022, and her roles in governance, safeguarding, coaching and as a board member.

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Adapting to life's moving goalposts: Alistair Patrick-Heselton's journey of resilience

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 09:38:26 GMT

In this introductory episode into season two, we are joined by Alistair Patrick-Heselton to discuss his inspiring story of resilience, from overcoming severe head trauma as a result of a car crash to representing ParalympicsGB at the 2012 London Paralympic Games in the 7-a-Side Cerebral Palsy (and Brain Injury) team.

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She can play: what needs to change to boost female participation in sport?

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 09:55:35 GMT

Gemma Johnston (CEO and co-founder of She Is Action) joins us to discuss what needs to change to boost female participation in sport. We look at the barriers to entry at various stages of life, some perceptions and misconceptions that are depriving women and girls of their chance to compete and how Gemma and her business hope to implement change.

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Women in football: a conversation with Monique Choudhuri

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 11:58:21 GMT

We are joined by the brilliant Monique Choudhuri (former NED, Brentford FC; current NED, Women in Football) to discuss women in football, WiF’s “Open Doors” agenda, the alarming events surrounding Jenni Hermoso and the future of sponsorship/broadcasting in the female game.

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Retirement and career planning for elite athletes

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 09:54:57 GMT

Naida Hutchinson (former England and Superleague netballer) joins us to discuss how she decided the time was right to end her netball career and the difficult choices women face in planning a family when they are often at the peak of their career by comparing decisions taken by notable netball players.

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How can coaches assist a female athlete when planning her career and pregnancy?

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 09:10:59 GMT

In this episode, we discuss the relationship between coaches and athletes when discussing career goals alongside planning a pregnancy. Alex Newman and Andri Rauber of UK Sport provide insights gained from coaches and athletes during their research and Baz Moffat (CEO of The Well HQ and former Team GB rower) explains how she advises clients who seek guidance about returning to sport after pregnancy and discussing this with their coaches.

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Mother and athlete: how can governing bodies help athletes excel at both roles?

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 09:19:13 GMT

Alex Newman and Andri Rauber of UK Sport join us to discuss the key concerns and rationale they had when writing UK Sport’s pregnancy guidance. They look at the concerns athletes have when wanting to start a family and set out some of the solutions that their guidance hopes to achieve across such a diverse range of sports.

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From girls to women: safeguarding risks and issues as an athlete grows

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 10:45:36 GMT

We are joined in this episode by Milly Wildish (safeguarding expert consultant who recently advised British Gymnastics) and Baz Moffat (CEO of The Well HQ and former Team GB rower) to explore how best to train a child prodigy to become a sports star whilst also considering the risks of over-training and various safeguarding considerations for young female athletes.

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The challenges to become an elite sportswoman

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 09:18:21 GMT

In this introductory episode, we are joined by Baz Moffat (former Team GB rower and CEO of the Well HQ) and Naida Hutchinson (former England and Superleague netballer) to discuss what it takes to reach the top of your sport and how this is different for women.

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