Unlike basketball's NBA and WNBA the sport of women's American tackle football is under developed. Women and men play flag football which is a non-contact variant of the game you'll see at the LA Olympics in three years, but there is no professional female equivalent to the NFL. But back in 2019, history was planned with the creation of the professional "Women's Football League Association". Santia Deck was chosen to be the face of the league. She signed a $1 million dollar contract. Her life was about to change forever. Five years on and without a game played or a dollar paid she tells Sportshour's Katie Smith how that dream was cruelly snatched away from her.
Karishma Ali is a fearless pioneer who has inspired women for generations to come. She has modelled at Milan fashion week, is in Asian Forbes 30 under 30 for her business and entrepreneurship, but most importantly she has knocked down barriers for women in sport, particularly football. She was the first woman from her rural town to represent Pakistan internationally and in doing so has shown her country exactly what women can achieve given the opportunity
This might be a sport that you might think is illegal! It sounds something out of Victorian times but the fully regulated and completely legal sport of Bare Knuckle Boxing is alive and well in 2025. In fact this weekend in Philadelphia as part of "KnuckleMania V" the BKFC bare knuckle boxing heavyweight world champion, Britain's Mick Terrill, will defend his title. He's been explaining a bit about the sport, from the blood and guts to what's in place to keep them safe, and why the sport is growing in popularity
(Photo: Santia Deck poses with an American football. Credit: Santia Deck/instagram.com/trackbaby001)