Eni Aluko has apologised to Ian Wright after facing backlash for accusing the Arsenal legend of ‘blocking’ the pathway for female pundits by ‘dominating’ women’s football coverage.
Aluko’s claims on Wright were made during an appearance on Radio Four’s Women’s Hour on Wednesday, in which she also claimed her punditry career had been damaged by ex-Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton, who she’s suing for libel, after he dubbed her a ‘race card player’ on social media in January last year.
She had also said that ITV continuing to employ Wright to cover the women’s game hampered the chances of female pundits coming into the industry.
Taking to Instagram on Friday morning, April 25, Aluko wrote: ‘lan Wright is a brilliant broadcaster and role model whose support for the women’s game has been significant.
‘In my interview with Woman’s Hour this week, I was trying to make a broader point about the limited opportunities for women in football – whether that’s in coaching, broadcasting, or commercial spaces – and the importance of creating more space for women to thrive on and off the pitch.
‘But it was wrong for lan’s name to be raised in that conversation, and for that I sincerely apologise. I’ve known and worked with lan for many years and have nothing but love and respect for him’.
During her appearance on the Radio Four show, Aluko was asked about the presence of male pundits within the women’s game and, specifically, Ian Wright.
Aluko, who won 105 England caps, had said: ‘I’ve worked with Ian a long time and, you know, I think he’s a brilliant broadcaster, but I think he’s aware of just how much he’s doing in the women’s game. I think he should be aware of that.
‘The fact of the matter is, there is a limited amount of spaces available. If we had a situation where there was an equal opportunity in the men’s game for broadcasters and coaches that there is in the women’s game, it’s a free for all.
‘But that’s not the case. I can’t dominate the men’s game in the way that, you know, you used Ian as an example.’
When asked to clarify if she thinks it is wrong for Wright to be covering women’s football, Aluko added: ‘I don’t know about wrong, but I think we need to be conscious and we need to make sure that women are not being blocked from having a pathway into broadcasting in the women’s game.
‘It’s still new, it’s still growing. There’s a finite amount of opportunities and I think that men need to be aware of that.
‘Men need to be aware that, you know, you’re in a growing sport, a growing sport for women, and we haven’t always had these opportunities, and so it’s about the awareness and supporting other women through that pathway.’
She later clarified her comments on Instagram as she posted on her story: ‘I’m sharing this full episode here again so people can actually listen to everything I said with full context.
‘Contrary to clickbait media headlines no one was “attacked” or “accused” during this interview. There are lots of examples of men in women’s sport. Ian Wright is one. And as I said in the interview – Ian Wright is brilliant.’
This comes after reports emerged that Aluko is facing the axe by ITV following her comments.
