Eni Aluko issues apology over Ian Wright comments: 'It was wrong' | OneFootball

Aluko attracted criticism for comments made about her ITV colleague’s position as a pundit in women’s football

Colleagues: Eni Aluko and Ian Wright work together on ITV’s coverage of women’s football

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Eni Aluko has apologised for controversial comments made about Ian Wright’s position as a pundit in women’s football.

"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," Aluko said.

"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."

Asked if she thought it was wrong for Wright to cover women’s football, she replied: “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."

Aluko responded to criticism of her comments by taking to social media and dismissing “clickbait headlines” as she shared a link to both the full interview and relevant section in question.

She wrote: “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 I said in the interview – Ian Wright is brilliant.”

Aluko has now returned to Instagram to apologise to Wright, insisting she was wrong to raise his name while trying to make a wider point about limited opportunities for women in football.

“Ian Wright is a brilliant broadcaster and role model whose support for the women's game has been significant," she wrote.

“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 Ian's name to be raised in that conversation, and for that I sincerely apologise. I've known and worked with Ian for many years and have nothing but love and respect for him."