Research puts focus on minority representation

UEFA has joined forces with the English Football Association (The FA), UK anti-racism body Kick It Out and the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) to tackle the issue of minority representation in the game.

Research partner
European football's governing body, as part of its comprehensive anti-racism campaign, is also welcoming a groundbreaking initiative by Kick It Out – a member of the Football Against Racism in Europe network – to appoint a European research partner to make a review of the representation of ethnic minority communities and women at football's highest levels.

Click here to find out more about the role of European research partner for Kick It Out: http://www.kickitout.org/1034.php

Seminar planned
UEFA has recently held discussions about institutional racism with The FA, the KNVB and Kick It Out in Amsterdam and in London. As a consequence, a seminar on the subject of minority representation is scheduled to take place in April.

Equality of opportunity
European football's governing body sees institutional racism as a problem that remains to be tackled, and is therefore keen to find out the results of Kick It Out's equality and diversity study. The review, to be published in the spring, will focus on equality of opportunity within the game at national and European levels, analyse relevant practices in the area of equality and anti-discrimination, and establish the spread of involvement of women and ethnic minorities within the game.

Under-representation
The institutional discrimination working group formed by UEFA, Kick It Out, The FA and the KNVB, is determined to ensure genuine equality of opportunity across football at all levels and within all roles. UEFA believes that football should continue to play its historical role as an agent for social integration. The identification, recruitment and retention of talented individuals in coaching, administration and other key sectors of the game may be one way of remedying any under-representation of minorities and thus encouraging the development of football leaders from various backgrounds. The planned seminar on institutional discrimination will engage, among other delegates, representatives from a number of football associations