The Board of Table Tennis England has almost double the percentage of women than the National Governing Body average, according to research.

The percentage of women on sports governing bodies’ boards has risen from 23 per cent to 27 per cent over the last year, according to the latest ‘Trophy Women?’ report published today by the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) and supported by Sport England.

However, the new Board of Table Tennis England performs even better, with five female members out of a total of 11 on the Board (45%). And as our President Doreen Stannard also attends Board meetings, that brings the ratio up to exactly 50:50 between men and women.

Last year, Sport England included an expectation in its governance guidelines for NGBs that their boards should comprise at least 25 per cent women by 2017 (or men, where they currently form an under-represented group), so Table Tennis England is well ahead. However, today’s report shows that just 23 of 45 NGBs surveyed currently meet this target.

Table Tennis England also lead the way in leadership roles – although women hold just over 10 per cent of Chairs and only a third in Chief Executive positions across all NGBs, those roles at Table Tennis England are respectively filled by Sandra Deaton and Sara Sutcliffe.

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Paul Stimpson (9th May 2014)