The findings focused on the commercial impact of male dominance, rather than equality issues, and argue that sport can attract more commercial partners, participants and revenue by expanding into the women's market.

The key to this expansion is to hire more women at senior level, it claims.

A statement issued by the Commission on the Future of Women's Sport said: "Only one in five members of national governing body [NGB] boards is a woman and 10 NGBs – a quarter of sports primary administration – do not have a single woman on their board.

"The picture is similar for performance directors of whom only 22 per cent are women.

"Over 80 per cent of women do too little physical activity to benefit their health and while only one of 10 women play competitive sport.

"Women's elite sport still only attracts two per cent of sports media coverage, and significantly less public and commercial investment.

"The lack of women at the top is preventing the sector from reaching the women's market – arguably the biggest space for sport to grow – and as we approach [London] 2012, putting the UK's reputation as home to a progressive sports sector on the line."

The Commission is chaired by Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, a winner of 16 Paralympic gold medals during her career, and its findings were backed by several leading British sports administrators including the Football Association chairman Lord Triesman, the English Cricket Board chairman Giles Clarke, the chairman of the 2012 Olympic Games Sebastian Coe and the Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe.

Dame Tanni said: "I am delighted that so many high profile figures are lending their support to our drive to see more women at the top of British sport.