‘I left feeling energised and proud’ Joanna Sweeney: Everything in Sport Blog
Held at Manchester’s iconic Etihad Stadium, the 2025 “Everything in Sport Women’s Edition” conference brought together an amazing mix of people across the sports world; local councils, entrepreneurs, students, national governing bodies, and professionals working in sport. Run by Omnia Media , the conference is all about connection and partnership, and this year was no different. The two-day conference was focused on the big themes shaping the future of women’s sport, tech and AI, female athlete health, training, strategy, and more.
I was there to join a panel titled “Reflecting Diversity: Building a Representative Ecosystem in Women’s Sports.” Chaired by Suzy Farthing , I spoke alongside three brilliant women – Charlene Gravesande, Jo Hind and Katie Holland.
We explored barriers to diversity and shared practical ways to create more inclusive environments, bringing in our personal experiences around race, neurodiversity, and working in sport.
I spoke about my time on the first cohort of UK Sport Aspire to Lead programme, a development programme designed for ethnically diverse aspiring leaders. This programme was created to directly target the lack of ethnic diversity in senior positions within high performance sport. For me, Aspire to Lead has been a pivotal experience as it’s intentional, purpose-driven, and backed with real support. Increasing representation takes time, focus, and, importantly, resources.
I also shared a bit about my time so far as EDI Network Chair at the UK Sports Institute . Although I’ve only been in the role a few months, on top of my day job, it’s already given me the opportunity to check and challenge UKSI’s EDI ambitions and programmes. I used this role as a reminder that advocating for change is possible even outside your usual role
Outside the panel, I had time to connect with others and sit in on a few brilliant talks. It was especially great to hear from people working in grassroots sport. I was particularly encouraged by the FA’s work to grow ethnically diverse football groups at the community level. These grassroots efforts have such a strong ripple effect, not just for athletes, but for the future sports workforce too.
Two moments really stood out for me. First was hearing Joey Gamper Cuthbert, Chair of the Board at SportCheer England, talk about the rise of competitive cheerleading in England. Her passion was infectious, and it was exciting to hear about a sport right at the start of its journey toward high-performance. Cheerleading blends strength, creativity, and serious skill, perfect for engaging young girls and teens. I’m genuinely excited to see where it goes next.
The second was hearing from Lynsey Hyslop , Senior Player Development Manager at the Rugby Players Association. I always love hearing insights from sports outside of the system I work in, and this was no different. Lynsey spoke about her work supporting current and former rugby players with everything from career transitions to mental health and finances, similar what our Performance Lifestyle team offers. It was a great reminder that, across sports, many of the challenges and opportunities are shared and that collaboration is key.
By the end of the conference, I left feeling energised and proud of the work the UKSI, and the wider sector, is doing around diversity and inclusion. There’s still a long way to go, but the conversations happening now feel more honest, more intentional, and most importantly, more action focused.