Eni Aluko will not be part of ITV’s coverage of the Lionesses’ first match since she accused Ian Wright of blocking opportunities for female pundits in women’s football.
MailOnline can reveal the broadcaster has instead opted to use Anita Asante and Vicky Losada as pundits for Sarina Wiegman side’s Nations League game against Portugal on Friday night, which will be broadcast live on ITV4.
And ITV are refusing to confirm whether Aluko, 38, will be part of their European Championships line-up this summer, amid claims from insiders the former Chelsea star faces the axe by the broadcaster following her controversial comments surrounding Wright last month.
Indeed, sources have told MailOnline ITV could have used the Portugal match to back Aluko and draw a line under the saga, but the fact she has been overlooked ‘doesn’t bode well’ for her future on ITV.
An insider said: ‘If ITV wanted to state their intentions and stick by Aluko, putting her on punditry duty for the Portugal match would have been a clear indication of their stance.
‘The fact she’s been sidelined does not bode well for this summer.’
Eni Aluko will not be part of ITV’s coverage of England’s match with Portugal on Friday
The match is the Lionesses’ first since Aluko accused Ian Wright, right, of blocking opportunities for female pundits in women’s football
ITV are refusing to confirm whether Aluko will be part of their European Championships line-up this summer, as England look to defend the title they claimed back in 2022
Mailonline has contacted Aluko’s reps for comment.
Aluko came under-fire in April for accusing Arsenal legend Wright, 61, of ‘blocking’ female pundits and ‘dominating’ coverage of women’s football.
After her comments were widely criticised, Aluko issued an apology which Wright swiftly rejected during a passionate video message which he posted on his Instagram account, amid support for highly-influential figures surrounding his standing in the women’s game.
He said: ‘I’ve got to say I’m very disappointed by what Eni has said. She knows how I’ve helped her, supported her publicly. And I know the previous conversations she’s had with me and my management. So, for me, I’ve seen your apology on social media, but I can’t accept it. But I also want to move on from it.’
ITV also released a statement backing Wright, who is expected to be part of this summer’s Euros punditry team.
It read: ‘Ian’s standing in the sport is beyond question. As one of the UK’s most respected and much-loved footballers and sporting broadcasters, with a career spanning nearly four decades, Ian is an incredible advocate, ally and brilliant broadcaster of women’s football from a grassroots level as well as at the highest international competitions.’
Mailonline told last month Aluko’s accusation regarding Wright ‘blocking’ opportunities for female pundits working on the women’s game angered senior ITV execs due to the broadcaster ‘priding themselves on having a diverse roster for both pundits and presenters across its sports content’, plus ensuring their is a ‘big female influence when covering women’s football.’
During the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, ITV and rivals BBC had a combined total of 25 pundits, presenters and commentators – 23 of those were women, including Aluko.
Former England star Aluko took to Instagram to issue a lengthy apology to fellow pundit Wright
Wright rejected Aluko’s apology in a social media post and said he wants to ‘move on’
Wright had previously come to Aluko’s defence when she had been trolled online
ITV backed Ian Wright, calling him an ‘incredible advocate and ally’ for women’s football
Wright was brought in as an additional pundit for two of those ITV live broadcasts but he attended all the other games as a fan.
The ex-Crystal Palace striker was also frustrated by Aluko’s comments due to his previous public backing of the former England star, who won 105 caps for the Lionesses, when she faced criticism on social media after a punditry slip-up during the 2022 men’s World Cup in Qatar.
Aluko’s views on Wright were made during an appearance on Radio Four’s Women’s Hour, in which she also claimed her punditry career had been damaged by ex-Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton after he dubbed her a ‘race card player’ on social media in January last year.
She said ITV continuing to employ Wright’s to cover the women’s game hampered the chances of female pundits coming into the industry.
Aluko 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.
Former England international Anita Asante and Brighton star Vicky Losada have been chosen by ITV as pundits for the Lionesses” match against Portugal this week
It is not yet known whether Aluko, pictured at the FIFA World Cup in 2022, will be part of ITV coverage of this summer’s Women’s European Championships
‘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.’
