Majority of fans say there is less discrimination in football now than 30 years ago, or when they first became a football fan, and believe football has become more inclusive since Kick It Out's inception as organisation publishes new report to mark 30th anniversary
Tuesday 8 August 2023 13:13, UK
A Kick It Out report has shown football has become safer, more inclusive, and more welcoming over the past three decades, but the vast majority of fans still believe more needs to be done to combat discrimination.
The Impact Report - released on the organisation's 30th anniversary - found the majority of fans say there is less discrimination in football now than 30 years ago or when they first became a football fan and that 73 per cent of fans believe football has become more inclusive.
Of the fans surveyed, 67 per cent of those who experienced discrimination said that they experience it less often now, due to the work of Kick it Out, while 79 per cent of those who have heard of the anti-discrimination organisation stated it has contributed to a more inclusive game.
While the data highlights the significant strides that have been taken over the past 30 years, Kick It Out believes its work remains more relevant than ever.
"As this report demonstrates, Kick It Out has changed the face of football for the better since its inception 30 years ago," Kick It Out chair Sanjay Bhandari said.
"Fans from minority groups believe football is now safer, more inclusive and more welcoming, because of Kick It Out's work. We also know from this report that Kick It Out has given people more confidence to call out or report discrimination, and we have seen evidence of this first-hand through our own annual reporting statistics.
"As we reach this historic milestone it gives us a moment to stop and reflect on the journey that we have been on, but we know that there is still much work to be done and this research only serves to highlight that fans overwhelmingly want more action to tackle discrimination throughout the game.
"Now is not the time for the game to rest on its laurels. We remain unwavering in our resolve to end all forms of discrimination in sport for good and need stakeholders across sport to join us on that journey."
The Impact Report was compiled via a survey of 2,503 football fans, two-thirds of which have been fans for at least 30 years, and in-depth follow-up interviews.
Eighty-five per cent of those spoken to believe more needs to be done to combat discrimination towards fans at stadiums and 87 per cent said more needs to be done to tackle abuse towards players at stadiums, while 79 per cent think more work is needed to address discrimination at a grassroots level.
Kick It Out chief executive Tony Burnett added: "Whilst it's right that we recognise the progress made over the last 30 years, we are also focussed on the future and the changes needed to make football a more welcoming place.
"We require focus, commitment and determination to drive fair representation and build an inclusive culture across football from elite level to the grassroots.
"That's why we're calling on football to urgently introduce a transparent system to track workforce representation data for players, coaches and managers, and senior leadership.
"We also want football to commit to targets for better representation, whether that be black managers, south Asian professional players, or black, Asian and female leaders and referees.
"Our job is far from over, and we will be working tirelessly with our football partners in the years ahead to deliver tangible change in those areas."
