STEVEN Broomhead says hosting the 2021 Rugby League World Cup could be a real benefit for the borough

SO the football World Cup is over – it’s been overall a happy time for our nation.

Well done to Russia for organising such a global and joyous event.

I didn’t expect to write that a few months ago.

Perhaps we should temporarily rename ‘Culcheth’ – ‘Kanecheth’ in honour of the golden boot top scorer?

Last week saw the launch of the town’s partnership bid for the Rugby League World Cup 2021.

The plan includes both the male and the female games with a proposed doubling of the economic impact locally to £6 million from that of 2013 when Samoa did our town proud.

The plan includes the Women’s Rugby League Final at The Halliwell Jones Stadium in November 2021.

It would be great to see female sport recognised in this way.

Right now, British sportswomen are the best in the world.

Our cricketers won the World Cup and our female football team is rated fourth in the world.

It’s a real pity that we are almost oblivious to the success of women.

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The profile of sportswomen such as Jessica Ennis is changing

Although the profile of female sportswomen is changing for the better in the world of athletics, tennis, swimming and golf.

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A record crowd of 45,000 saw the women’s FA Cup Final at Wembley in May – 10,000 up on the previous year.

It’s been a long and difficult journey from when in 1921 the FA banned women from playing football as it was “unsuitable for females”.

This ban was only lifted in 1971.

The men’s 1,500 metre swimming event debuted at the 1908 Olympics, but it will take until the next Olympics in Tokyo in 2020 for women to compete at this distance.

The World Cup 2021 bid offers great town business opportunities and will also create community impacts and a legacy.

There is a possibility that we will also gain an investment in a multi-sport hub with artificial surfaces valued at £1million as part of the legacy.

It is also an opportunity to celebrate the new position of elite women’s sport.

Let’s hope we can be chosen to celebrate this festival of rugby league with the women’s final which would have a small but significant contribution to the thankfully declining inequality of opportunity and their recognition and profile of women in sport.