Vicki Sparks

Vicki Sparks is a British sports journalist and football commentator for BBC Sport and BT Sport. She has reported for Final Score and BBC Radio 5 Live.[1] She also regularly covers women's football for the BBC.[2]

In March 2017, after a post-match interview, Sunderland manager David Moyes took issue at one of Sparks' questions to him and said “You were just getting a wee bit naughty at the end there, so just watch yourself. You still might get a slap even though you’re a woman. Careful the next time you come in.” In June, The Football Association fined him £30,000 for "improper and threatening remarks".[3]

Sparks was part of the BBC's team covering the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. On 20 June of that year, she became the first woman to commentate on a live World Cup match on British television, BBC One's coverage of Portugal's 1–0 victory over Morocco in Group B in Saransk.[1] Sparks and female pundits Eniola Aluko and Alex Scott were subjected to online criticism, and former player Jason Cundy said her voice was too high-pitched for commentary, while other figures such as Jacqui Oatley and Piers Morgan praised them and said that the criticism was due to sexism.[4][5][6] Sparks has also guested on the BBC show Fighting Talk.[7]