Not so much using stats but certainly I do have a habit of using examples to back up my point.

I agree that CEOs (or team captains or an leaders) are a particular type of person but that still comes back to the question of why that is more likely to be a man. Likewise, why are the founders of the businesses in your industry all men?

I (have been led to) believe that it is largely because society has encouraged men to lead while women should be meek and mild. Moreover, the narrative would continue that this arrangement is detrimental to everybody.

I do see your point about the football team and would agree that in a perfect world any cohort of a sufficient size should exactly match the total population. That would show that there are no barriers to entry/progression so to answer your later question that is my idea of true equality.

I fully appreciate that this is an unlikely ideal but where there are glaring differences, I think we as a society should work to close the gaps.

A squad of 25 is probably too small to be representative but we can look at why we have historically had so few black goalkeepers playing for England. Or apparently so few gay sportsmen. Perhaps there truly is some unseen inverse correlation between the ability to kick a ball and being gay <<sarcasm>>.

I wish I shared your view that favouritism doesn’t happen but working in recruitment I can tell you it certainly does. Ageism is rife (both ways). Until recently, men asking for flexibility to look after children were seen as ridiculous. Women returning from a break for childcare are (thankfully now less) ignored. There is no way (at any level) that the best person is always hired.

Not sure if you read/listened to the Freakonomics show but the crux was that women are no just brought in as CEO when a company is failing but that they are not given the time/support to fix the issues that a man would be given. As a result, companies can say they tried a woman but it didn’t work so the (unconscious) bias is perpetuated.

I don’t believe that there is a correlation per say between appointing female Board members and success. However, I do believe that having as many diverse voices allows companies to make more rounded decisions. Also a company which regularly includes minority groups in their decision making is probably more progressive and open-minded which can lead to more innovative thinking.