UK sport’s governing bodies fail to make grade in landmark race report

The first index to track race representation across UK sport has led to 43% of national governing bodies being handed the lowest three available grades. A trio of England’s biggest sporting administrators – the Football Association, the England and Wales Cricket Board, and the Rugby Football Union – failed to even take part.

The inaugural Race Representation Index, commissioned by the sport monitoring advisory panel via charity Sporting Equals, was motivated by the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd. It aimed to provide a baseline on racial diversity across the sector, allowing progress to be tracked year on year, and was initially delivered to 52 national governing bodies on a voluntary basis. Two, the FA and the RFU, declined to participate.

The final report, released on Monday, also indicates that the ECB along with the British Basketball Federation, British Swimming and Volleyball England did not even confirm receipt of the RRI paperwork. The deadline for replies had been extended from mid-December until 6 January.

The ECB’s position is particularly notable given its November commitment to “a wide-ranging action plan to tackle racism and promote inclusion and diversity at all levels of the game” amid the fallout from allegations of racism at Yorkshire CCC. It is understood its non-involvement in the RRI was not deliberate and that it will be contacting Sporting Equals regarding future cooperation.

The governing bodies who participated in the RRI saw scores delivered on basis of hiring practices at board, senior management, senior coaching and playing or athletic level before a final grade was produced. A similar approach is already used to track matters of equality in college and