Advancing Women's Sports in Spain: Iberdrola's New Ambassador and Pioneering Scouting Ventures
Nicole Wiggins joins Iberdrola's ambassador program as Andrea Orts pioneers women's football scouting, highlighting growing initiatives advancing professional opportunities and gender equality in Spanish women's sports.
- • Nicole Wiggins joins Iberdrola Embajadoras to promote women's sports leadership.
- • Iberdrola's decade of support has boosted female sports participation by over 80%.
- • Andrea Orts founded Shescout, the first female football scouting agency globally.
- • Shescout professionalizes scouting for women's football, collaborating with major clubs like FC Barcelona.
Key details
Iberdrola has bolstered its commitment to promoting gender equality in women's sports by welcoming Nicole Wiggins into its Embajadoras program, joining 35 influential female athletes championing visibility and leadership in the sector. Wiggins, a skilled handball goalkeeper, has represented Spain at major events like the 2022 European Championship and the Mediterranean Games where Spain secured gold. She currently plays for Super Amara Bera Bera and is slated for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Iberdrola's decade-long support has significantly increased female sports participation, enhancing media exposure for leagues such as Liga Guerreras Iberdrola and supporting Paralympic sports via its ADOP plan with scholarships for athlete development.
Parallel to athlete advocacy, Andrea Orts is revolutionizing women's football scouting in Spain. As founder of Shescout, the first female-focused scouting agency worldwide, Orts addresses the underdeveloped scouting infrastructure for women's football. Having been the sole scout in the Spanish men's league for RCD Espanyol, she pivoted to empower women's clubs by providing crucial scouting services, collaborating with top teams including FC Barcelona and Boston. Orts highlights the market gap—many women's clubs cannot afford full scouting staffs—and has found enthusiastic responses to her professional approach. She actively recruits talent globally, noting women's football in Spain is advancing but still trails countries like England in player support and salaries.
Together, Iberdrola's ambassador program and Orten's scouting enterprise underscore rising efforts to professionalize and elevate women's sports in Spain, aiming for broader recognition and equality within the sports community.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
