Saturday, January 29, 2011

Hope Powell says sexist Gray and Keys have helped women's game

Hope Powell holds up her medal for being more awesome than Andy Gray. 

As a result of Richard Keys and Andy Gray's sexist comments about match official Sian Massey and West Ham executive Karren Brady, English Football Hall of Fame member and women's national team coach Hope Powell says this whole thing has been great for the women's game. Once again, we see that no publicity is bad publicity. Unless you're Andy Gray or Richard Keys, who are now out of jobs they loved, or Sian Massey, who has been withdrawn from two consecutive matches (through not fault of her own) as the PGMO waits for the attention to die down. 

From the BBC:

"Obviously it's a shame, you don't want to hear those sort of comments," Powell told BBC Sport.

"But to flip it on its head, we've had really good publicity this week."[...]

Powell added: "Sian earned the right to be there and run that line. More importantly she made some really fantastic calls, which can only be good for women in the game."

Powell comments were echoed by England defender Casey Stoney who said the widespread condemnation of Keys and Gray's behaviour showed attitudes are changing.

"Obviously it's disappointing, but it's the view of the minority. It shows people aren't accepting it. On the flip side, women's sport is benefiting," she said.

So exposing male pundits as being sexist and wrong is good for women in sport? I can see that. Is it too late to give Keys and Gray their jobs back and broadcast all their off-air banter and pranks live? They could give women in sport a whole lot more good publicity.

Seriously, though, Powell and Stoney are right in a sense. The BBC got these quotes at the London launch for this summer's Women's World Cup, which got a mention in its article and now, in this post, piggybacking on the interest in the Keys and Gray scandal. Is it the ideal way to build interest or gain support for the women's game? Of course not. Nor is it guaranteed to be lasting or meaningful. Still, whoever is in charge of such things should consider having Keys and Gray work the tournament this summer. As ball boys. 

Photo: Getty Images

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