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Kick It Out: Football's Inclusion Rules Fail Minorities
10 Mar
Summary
- Anti-discrimination body finds initial regulator proposals insufficient.
- Clubs must prove EDI efforts for licenses under new rules.
- Watchdog demands annual diversity data and board-level accountability.
The head of the anti-discrimination body Kick It Out has stated that initial proposals from England's independent football regulator are insufficient, effectively "putting equality, diversity and inclusion on the subs bench." The regulator is developing a new governance code for the top five tiers of men's football, requiring clubs to demonstrate their commitment to tackling minority under-representation to obtain a license.
Kick It Out expressed these concerns in correspondence seen by BBC Sport, calling the proposed measures "inadequate" and "not enough to address the stubborn challenges" in the game. The organization is urging the regulator to use its powers to foster necessary change.
Significant recommendations from Kick It Out include the annual release of club diversity data and the establishment of board-level responsibility for EDI across all clubs. These calls come in the wake of recent online racial abuse incidents targeting Premier League players, highlighting the urgent need for robust EDI strategies.
