Why were there no female finalists in this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year competition, asks Louise Jew?

Women are generally good sports – and there are thousands of us out and about year-round playing not just tennis, hockey and netball but also traditionally male games like football and rugby at varying levels.

Our national women’s cricket side is going great guns on the world circuit and Rebecca Adlington is Britain’s most successful Olympic swimmer in 100 years.

Yet not a single woman was picked as a finalist in this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year competition.

Previous winners include Amazons of the sporting world like athletes Fatima Whitbread and Dame Kelly Holmes, and horse-riding stars Princess Anne and her daughter Zara Phillips.

So, how can it be that, in a year when Rebecca Adlington was crowned world champion, not even she made it to the final 10?

It obviously has much to do with the, predominantly male, sports channels and reporters who decide what events we will see on our screens or on TV – and it doesn’t help that the media outlets that recommended nominees for the shortlist included the unashamedly laddish Nuts and Zoo magazines.

In our sense of fair play, Lou’s Women would not detract one jot from those men who have made it to the final 10, including tennis player Andy Murray, golfer Rory McIlroy, athlete Mo Farah and professional road racing cyclist Mark Cavendish.

We don’t want tokenism – but it seems thoroughly perverse that not one woman has made it to the shortlist this time.

The BBC does appear to have taken criticism of the way the shortlist was put together to heart by promising to review the process for next year.

And, it’s pleasing to see that the shortlist for the 2011 Young Sports Personality of the Year award does include three gals – Lucy Garner, the junior road race world champion, two-time European Paralympic gold medallist Eleanor Simmonds and British Ladies’ Open amateur golf champ Lauren Taylor.

Let’s hope that our sportswomen – as well as our men, of course – wow everybody so much during Olympic year in 2012 that they just have to be on that list next year.

They are the flag bearers to inspire young girls to take up sport, which is great for their fitness, health and general well-being – and we should see more of them on our TV screens and sports pages.

In the meantime, Lou’s Women wish a speedy recovery to one of our own sportswomen – keen cyclist Julie Wilson – who managed to knock herself out while riding to a pub quiz last Sunday night.

Read more of Lou’s Women’s views – and add your own comments below.

Language coordinator Irina James says: “Apparently it was decided on the votes which had been cast by who?

“There were not enough votes for either the two sportswomen who were nominated. Shame then, too bad, better luck next time you might think.

“But then I heard of Chrissie Wellington, a four time overall female winner of the international ‘Ironman’ event and first Ironman Champion, representing the UK.

“The Ironman event is a truly gruelling Triathlon competition, which would bring tears to the eyes of most men, particularly those of the Team GB beer-belly swaggering variety.

“British sportswomen simply not competitive enough to qualify? Don’t make me laugh. Come on men, admit it, you just can’t take it.”

Zumba teacher Lou Thomas says: “I was shocked when I read there were no women shortlisted but then I tried to think of an inspirational female sportsperson and couldn’t think of one.

“Sports pages in newspapers do seem to be dominated by football, rugby and golf – all male dominated.

“Perhaps we need more charismatic sporty women or more female sports reporters?”

Student Holly Dodd says: “I have a friend who sent round a petition on Facebook, which I have of course signed and would encourage others to do the same, protesting against the unjust exclusion of women from the BBC Sports Personality nominations.

“There is a massive discrepancy in both media coverage and funding of women’s sports in the UK.

“I don’t want tokenism, I certainly don’t want positive discrimination but I know that there are many inspirational female athletes, such as Rebecca Adlington, who have not been honoured this year.

“And with ‘expert’ male opinions coming from the likes of Zoo and Nuts magazine I can’t help feel the voting system isn’t exactly flawless.”

Chess and cycling fanatic Julie Wilson says: “It’s sad that there were no women but I guess it reflects the fact that sport is entirely male dominated.

“The sports in which women do get some coverage are swimming, tennis, athletics and cycling.

“There are no professional women’s team sports on TV. I’m not sure what can be done to rectify this.

“After all it’s mainly men who watch sport, especially Sky sports coverage, so they are paying for it.”

Wombourne conservationist Sheena Hamilton says: “Women are still discriminated against – we were talking about it recently at the Women’s Institute because there are still not many female judges and barristers.

“There’s something wrong if not one single woman is included in the shortlist for sports personality of the year.”