We know that times are tight - but racecourses really do need to step up and improve outdated weighing rooms

Racing quite rightly bangs the drum about being one of the few sports in which men and women compete directly against each other. However, it continues to be let down in one crucial aspect – the inadequate facilities female jockeys are often still being expected to put up with in Britain.

There is an ongoing debate around the much-needed modernisation of weighing rooms, which in some cases are simply not befitting of elite athletes, with the bodies representing tracks and jockeys agreeing on the need for change but at odds over how quickly it ought to take place.

In November 2021, a cross-industry group agreed on a list of requirements that all tracks must meet. Racecourses were first asked to prioritise essential safeguarding measures, including some aimed at supporting under-18s, which were said to have been completed by February 2022.