Across the Net: Issue 19
A shortened version of our weekly newsletter: a round-up of the best women's sports coverage from across the internet. To get the full version of Across The Net every week, complete with fun GIFs and bonus chat, straight into your inbox, sign up at the bottom of the page.
Football
Saudi Women Allowed into Football Matches for First Time
On Friday 12th Jan, Saudi Arabian women were allowed into a football stadium to watch a match for the first time to watch a Saudi Premier League match in Jeddah. The female fans were allowed to sit in the 'family section' made up of 7,500 seats of the 62,000 stadium capacity, and could not mix freely with the largely male crowd. The moment is the latest in a series of steps of the super conservative country easing restrictions on women's rights.
Read more here
Gymnastics
Why Don't We Care About the Biggest Sex Abuse Scandal in Sports History?
This week, Olympian Simone Biles was the latest athlete to come out with her story of abuse by team doctor Larry Nassar. In this article, Bryan Graham asks why a scandal involving the alleged sexual abuse of more than 140 young women hasn't received more attention:
"So why the visibility issue? Perhaps it is because the story centers on a sport to which people do not pay attention during non-Olympic years ... But the most distressing reason of all is that the abuse of women is normalized in our society. The Nassar scandal fits into our framework of how we understand a sport like women’s gymnastics. On some level we expect women to be victimized, so it’s not surprising when they are. That’s a problem."
Read more here
Basketball
The DIY Basketball Culture of the Philippines
Not strictly women's sport, but we don't doubt there's some incredible girls scoring on these homemade hoops. Australian photographer Dave Carswell has spent two years documenting the makeshift and DIY culture of basketball in the Philippines. documenting the places and spaces in which basketball thrives.
See more here
Tennis
Quick Updates from Down Under
Azarenka still unable to leave the US to play. Laura Robson backs renaming Margaret Court Arena. Konta is out, defeated by world #123 Bernarda Pera. Wimbledon champ Muguruza is out having been beaten in straight sets, as is Venus Williams. Sharapova through to third round. Mo' money, mo' problems. & what can science tell us about grunting in tennis?
Img: Hsieh Su-wei who defeated Muguruza in mad hot conditions
Football
Women's Teams Available on Football Manager
Ahhhh yeah! FMguru, player of Football Manager and an inspired genius, has rewritten the game's player database to convert it to a sim of women's football featuring the UK's top footy stars – more than 3,500 players in total. The Women’s Database V1.0 was uploaded to Steam Workshop last week and is compatible with Football Manager 18.
Get it here
WHAT'S ON? : JANUARY
NOW – 28th | TENNIS
Australian Open
Watch on Eurosport
20th – 28th | NETBALL
Quad Series
Watch Live in London
26th – 28th | CYCLING
British Track Championships
Watch Live in Manchester
26th – 28th | AQUATICS
British Diving Championships
Watch Live in Plymouth
28th | HOCKEY
Super 6s
Watch Live in London
