Broadcaster and former English professional player Eni Aluko has alleged that Arsenal legend Ian Wright is blocking opportunities for female pundits in women’s football.
Aluko has been an advocate for women’s football and accuses Wright of taking too much space, something she says he should be aware of.
Speaking on Radio Four’s Women’s Hour, she said, “I’ve worked with Ian a long time and, you know, I think he’s a brilliant broadcaster, but I think he’s aware of just how much he’s doing in the women’s game. I think he should be aware of that.
“The fact of the matter is, there is a limited amount of spaces available. If we had a situation where there was an equal opportunity in the men’s game for broadcasters and coaches that there is in the women’s game, it’s a free for all.
“But that’s not the case. I can’t dominate the men’s game in the way that, you know, you used Ian as an example.”
Responding to whether she thinks it is for Wright to be at the forefront of the coverage of women’s football, Aluko replied, “I don’t know about wrong, but I think we need to be conscious and we need to make sure that women are not being blocked from having a pathway into broadcasting in the women’s game.
“It’s still new, it’s still growing. There’s a finite amount of opportunities and I think that men need to be aware of that.
“Men need to be aware that, you know, you’re in a growing sport, a growing sport for women, and we haven’t always had these opportunities, and so it’s about the awareness and supporting other women through that pathway.”
Ian Wright has been vocal about his support for female pundits who have suffered abuse in the past.
The popular pundit launched a podcast alongside Steph Houghton in 2024 about the women’s game, which he regularly speaks about alongside Kelly Cates on the BBC.