Elite Athletes, Substandard Treatment: The Ongoing Struggle of Female Jockeys

The treatment of female jockeys within British racing is nothing short of a disgrace. For an industry that prides itself on precision, discipline, and elite athleticism, the ongoing neglect of fundamental facilities is both shocking and indefensible. Despite being given three years to upgrade weighing room facilities, most British racecourses have failed to meet the 2024 deadline. The target has now been pushed back to 2027 — a timeline that only serves to highlight the industry's disinterest in meaningful progress.

No hot water. No showers. No safe, sanitary spaces to prepare, recover, or reflect.

This delay is not merely an inconvenience — it’s a direct assault on the professionalism, well-being, and dignity of female jockeys. How can racing dare to label its riders as "elite athletes" while forcing them to operate in conditions that would be deemed unacceptable in any other professional sport? No hot water. No showers. No safe, sanitary spaces to prepare, recover, or reflect. Megan Nicholls made this clear on ITV Racing yesterday, stating outright that female jockeys are still operating without access to hot water and showers. Can you imagine Serena Williams being asked to compete at Wimbledon and then told to change in a makeshift facility with no running water? The very notion would be met with global outrage. And yet, within horse racing, this is the lived reality for many of its top female competitors.

Despite a clear directive from the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in 2021 to address these issues, 80% of racecourses have failed to comply. Out of 60 racecourses, only 12 have completed the required upgrades. For those who claim financial strain as an excuse, let's be clear: this is not a financial issue — it’s a values issue.

While upgrading facilities is undoubtedly an investment, the argument that racecourses cannot afford it falls flat. The BHA has no authority to enforce penalties on racecourses that fail to meet deadlines. Instead, the responsibility lies with the Racecourse Association (RCA) — an organisation where the pace of change has been slow, with little visible urgency to meet deadlines. Without penalties or enforceable deadlines, there is no pressure to act. Racecourses like Leicester, Fakenham, and Taunton have proven that progress is possible with commitment. So why are so many of the country’s leading venues still falling short?

And therein lies a deeper issue is racing like always: accountability. The conditions faced by female jockeys are indicative of second-class treatment. What happens to racecourses that fail to meet deadlines? Nothing. There appears to be no evidence of fines, sanctions, or meaningful consequences for inaction. This lack of oversight and enforcement reveals a deeper rot within racing’s governance. The current governance structure appears to leave the BHA unable to enforce critical improvements at racecourses, allowing personal interests to prevail over collective progress.

This isn’t just about facilities — it’s about control, about leadership, and about the protection of entrenched power structures. When those in positions of authority are allowed to set their own deadlines and answer only to themselves, progress becomes an afterthought. Decisions are made to protect relationships, maintain influence, and avoid scrutiny, rather than to drive genuine change. Self-interest takes precedence over collective responsibility, and the impact is felt most acutely by those on the ground — the female jockeys who are forced to endure these inadequate conditions.

Personal interests in racing operate like an invisible hand, quietly dictating the pace and scope of progress. These people prioritise short-term convenience and the avoidance of financial strain over the long-term well-being of athletes. This is not just mismanagement — it is a conscious choice to maintain control. The ongoing delay in modernising facilities raises concerns about entrenched power structures that may be resistant to change.

This dynamic is a stark reminder of how power works in practice. When no one is held accountable, and when those responsible for enforcement lack the authority to act, stagnation sets in. Progress becomes a distant ideal rather than an urgent reality. Does the RCA have any reason to act quickly if the only consequence is a passing criticism in industry reports? The BHA, meanwhile, is left to issue warnings and reminders that fall on deaf ears. This feedback loop of inertia is a hallmark of self-interest in action.

The toll this takes on female jockeys is enormous. Bryony Frost’s battle against bullying and misogyny within the weighing room was one of the most high-profile examples of the cultural shift racing desperately needs. But the aftermath of her case exposed an even greater truth: isolation. Those who speak up are often left to stand alone. It’s a familiar story, and it’s one we’re seeing again with the current state of weighing room facilities. Speaking up makes you a “problem” rather than a catalyst for change.

Bryony’s decision to ride in France is telling. Why would one of Britain’s top jockeys feel compelled to leave her home circuit if the support she received and the conditions at home were adequate? This is a damning indictment of how far the sport has fallen behind. But when she returned, fans cheered. They knew. They saw the bigger picture. They respected her for putting her career on the line for women and for change.

Again, looking at Megan Nicholls’ comments on ITV Racing yesterday. Her words hit home and laid bare the reality of the weighing room crisis for female jockeys. No hot water. No showers. It's Frustrating. There are plenty of courses that simply are not good enough. We need showers at work. It is quite simple.

And yet, we’re still being told to wait — to be patient. Wait patiently while they drag their heels again and again... After already waiting three years, female jockeys are now being told to endure another three. Why? Because the decision-makers want to operate on their own timelines, not in service of those on the ground.

Horse racing’s paralysis really is rooted in self-interest. The people in charge act according to what suits them, not according to what’s necessarily right. For all its traditions, the industry’s refusal to modernise certain "core values" or some status quo behaviours is driving it into irrelevance. The numbers are clear to see. That's a conversation for another day. Today, we support Megans comments. Today, we support all female jockeys and today, we call for more action and we demand better.

Female jockeys are being mistreated, plain and simple. They are being asked to meet the highest standards of professionalism in their performance, while the facilities they are provided with in some cases do not meet even the most basic standards of decency. This treatment amounts to discrimination in plain sight.

If racing truly believes in its riders as "elite athletes," then it’s time to act like it. Facilities matter. Dignity matters. Safety matters.

Gender-neutral areas, access to showers, and basic workplace amenities should not be seen as "luxuries" but as necessities. If this were tennis, if this were golf, if this were any other sport that claims to operate at an elite level, the story would be different. But in racing, there’s always an excuse, always a reason to wait a little longer. It’s time to stop waiting.

The BHA must push for enforceable deadlines. If a racecourse fails to meet the next deadline, there must be financial penalties, public accountability, and immediate consequences. Without them, this cycle will only repeat. The weight of tradition should never be heavier than the weight of progress. Female jockeys deserve better. They deserve to walk into a weighing room and feel like the elite athletes they are. It’s time for racing to live up to its own rhetoric.

No more deadlines. No more delays. No more excuses.