Minister's war on BBC sexism: Culture Secretary demands action over presenter John Inverdale's comments that tennis star was 'not a looker'

Maria Miller sent a scathing letter to the director-general Lord Hall

Furious at John Inverdale's remarks about Marion Bartoli

Demanded updates on 'action taken' over the Wimbledon comments

Inverdale said of Miss Bartoli: ‘I just wonder if her dad did say to her... maybe: "Listen, you are never going to be, you know, a looker".'

Demand for action: Maria Miller wants further action taken by the BBC to tackle sexism after John Inverdale and Colin Murray's comments

Culture Secretary Maria Miller has delivered an extraordinary attack on the BBC’s sexist sports coverage.

In a scathing letter to the director-general Lord Hall, she expressed her anger at presenter John Inverdale’s remarks about Wimbledon singles champion Marion Bartoli.

Mrs Miller, who also called for better coverage of women’s sport, demanded updates on ‘further action that is likely to be taken’ over the comments, which prompted hundreds of complaints to the BBC.

Earlier this month Inverdale, who is thought to be paid about £600,000 a year, said of Miss Bartoli during coverage of the Wimbledon women’s final: ‘I just wonder if her dad did say to her when she was 12, 13, 14 maybe: “Listen, you are never going to be, you know, a looker.

‘“You are never going to be somebody like a [Maria] Sharapova, you’re never going to be 5 feet 11, you’re never going to be somebody with long legs, so you have to compensate for that. You are going to have to be the most dogged, determined fighter that anyone has ever seen on the tennis court if you are going to make it.” And she kind of is.’

The comments generated more than 700 complaints, and led to demands that Inverdale should be sacked. But the 55-year-old escaped severe sanction by writing a letter of apology to the French champion, and apologising on-air the day after the final.



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French tennis player Marion Bartoli, was the subject of Inverdale's comments. The beleaguered presenter faced criticism several years ago after he seemed to joke about the Duchess of Cornwall’s appearance



Mrs Miller’s letter is her second major intervention over women in sport in recent weeks.



To further demonstrate her anger at sexism, she is boycotting the Open golf championship – which begins today with BBC coverage fronted by Inverdale – because it is being held at Muirfield in Scotland, which still refuses to admit women members.

She told Lord Hall: ‘I am writing to express my concern over the comments made by John Inverdale about Marion Bartoli, during the BBC’s radio coverage of the Wimbledon women’s final.’

She added: ‘It is ... a matter of some concern to me that any comment on the looks and stature of a female athlete could be made in the context of one of the highlights of the UK’s, and indeed the world’s, sporting calendar.

‘I am sure you will agree with me that it is vital that young women and girls in this country feel motivated both to take part in and to watch coverage of sport, and to know that they are included in the enjoyment of sport, and catered for by the media just as much as the male audience.

‘Whilst I note that Mr Inverdale has apologised both on-air and in writing to Ms Bartoli, I would be grateful for an update on any further action that is likely to be taken following [the] complaints, and whether there may be positive steps that the BBC could take in the future to ensure that the perception of and commentary on female athletes, and women’s sport generally, are as positive and inclusive as possible.’

The 55-year-old escaped severe sanction by writing a letter of apology to the French champion, and apologising on-air the day after the final

Culture Secretary Maria Miller demanded to know what action the BBC was taking over sexism claims

The letter was also copied to the chairman of the BBC Trust, Lord Patten.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg today backed the need for more to be done to kick sexism ut of sport.

Speaking on his LBC 97.3 phone-in, he said: 'Of course it’s not the role of politicians to start second-guessing what every single journalist and every single reporter says, but of course we’ve got to be clear that what we don’t want is sexism in sport and we don’t want that reflected in the way it’s supported.'

He also condemned Muirfield's male only membership policy as 'inexplicable' and 'anachronistic'.

'I was just dismayed and incredibly surprised to hear this still goes on in this day and age.

'I find it so out of step with everything else that's happening in the rest of society.



'I think many people will just shake their head and say "how on earth is this still possible in this day and age?".'

Inverdale is already set to be replaced as the BBC’s main athletics presenter by a woman, Gabby Logan, who agreed that his comments on Bartoli ‘wasn’t appropriate’.

The beleaguered Inverdale faced down criticism several years ago after he seemed to joke about the Duchess of Cornwall’s appearance.

In a radio interview with Zara Phillips in 2006, he asked if his studio colleagues could remember the name of the horse Princess Anne rode when she won the European Championship in 1971. When no answer was forthcoming, he suggested: ‘Camilla.’

His latest comments drew a furious response from other sports stars and politicians. Men’s singles champion Andy Murray’s mother Judy described it as a ‘huge gaffe’.

A BBC spokesman said: ‘The BBC has made clear that John Inverdale’s comments were unacceptable and fell well beneath the standards expected of our presenters.

‘John sincerely regrets that he made such an inappropriate statement and for the offence caused. As he said on-air the following day, he has written to Marion Bartoli to apologise and the BBC has also apologised for John’s remarks.’

He added that ‘the BBC has a proud record of supporting women’s sport, with the current coverage of Euro 2013 [the women’s football European Championships] the most recent highlight in a summer of unprecedented coverage’. Of the 16 Euro 2013 matches it will show, 14 will be on BBC Three, with just two on BBC Two.

The letter was also copied to the chairman of the BBC Trust, Lord Patten



The spokesman also stressed that the BBC has appointed an ‘editorial lead’ for women’s sport ‘which has helped ensure significantly increased coverage across our daily sporting output’, while the company as a whole ‘is taking steps to clearly communicate to those who work for us what constitutes inappropriate behaviour or language’.

A BBC source claimed the Inverdale controversy was a ‘one-off’. However, the outrage following the Bartoli comments does not mark the first time the BBC’s sports coverage has been criticised due to sexism.

Nick Clegg said sexism had no place in sport

Jacqui Oatley, who became Match of the Day’s first woman commentator in 2007, said she had a ‘very difficult time’ due to outdated attitudes.

‘Mentally it was a huge challenge. I didn’t enjoy it for a second, I can’t pretend I did,’ she said.

The BBC also drew criticism when no women made the ten-strong shortlist for the Sports Personality of the Year award in 2011.

In the row over Muirfield’s men-only policy, Mrs Miller is to be joined in her boycott of the Open by sports minister Hugh Robertson and Alex Salmond. Last weekend Mrs Miller accused golf of turning a blind eye to sexism, saying: ‘The Open Championship is the biggest tournament in golf and it sends out completely the wrong message for it to be held at clubs that don’t allow women members.

‘Sport’s governing bodies should be doing all they can to promote equality and address the sexism that still exists in some quarters, not turning a blind eye to it.’

But last night Peter Dawson, the chief executive of the Royal and Ancient, golf’s governing body, claimed the issue had been ‘beaten to death’.

He said: ‘Single-sex clubs are in a very small minority in the UK.

‘Half of them are women-only, half of them are men-only. They’re perfectly legal.’

Asked if there was any difference between only allowing men and only allowing white people, he said: ‘There’s a massive difference between racial discrimination, anti-Semitism, where sectors of society are downtrodden and treated very badly.’