"The ultimate aim is to increase BAME participation in sport at all levels."
Why Sports have been fortunate enough to work with Arun Kang CEO at Sporting Equals across the past 3 years. Arun sits on the Why Sports Advisory Board and has spoken at a number of related conferences. At the annual Why Sports 2019 Conference Arun and the Sporting Equals team will once again use the inclusive conference platform to share information regards their Leaderboard Academy.
Politicians and senior officials in British sport all agree that we are missing out on the skills and expertise that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) professionals, workers and former athletes can bring to the boardrooms of National Governing Bodies and other organisations involved in running British sport and activity.
The LeaderBoard Academy is a unique project involving Sporting Equals and the University of Leicester which is designed to create a pool of BAME talent from diverse backgrounds that is ‘board ready’ and prepared to step into positions across the UK sport structure (both in paid and voluntary roles).
More BAME recruits are needed to influence policy and promote greater equality and diversity (particularly race equality) at the top level in sport. Presently, there are only 4% BAME sports board members. Sporting Equals and the University of Leicester are launching the LeaderBoard Academy to help get more talented BAME people onto sports boards, who have the ability to communicate and share their knowledge at senior levels.
Sporting Equals will then help mentor and match these Academy ‘graduates’ to appropriate governance roles within sporting organisations.
Christine Ohuruogu MBE, former world and Olympic 400m champion, said:
“This is a great concept that could spark real change. Often individuals and former athletes from BAME backgrounds find it hard to find a route into sports administration and leadership. LeaderBoard can provide just the stepping stone needed to help direct talented people into new roles in sport.”
Arun Kang, CEO of Sporting Equals, said: “Presently, sport does not reflect the society we live in. Decisions about BAME and other equality groups are often made by elite groups that do not reflect diversity or inclusion. The result is a lack of diversity at all levels in sport. We are looking for passionate and talented BAME people to help change the face of British sport by joining the LeaderBoard Academy. This is a wonderful opportunity for Sporting Equals and its partners to promote BAME talent and to make sports governance much more representative of the people who play and watch sport in this country.”
Professor Paul Boyle, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester, said: “We are very proud to be partners in this unique project with Sporting Equals. The aim of LeaderBoard fits very well with the University of Leicester’s other equality initiatives and our own, highly diverse, student body. All are agreed that sports governance needs a greater BAME presence and input. We hope the LeaderBoard Academy, hosted here in Leicester, can help deliver excellent candidates.”
The Why Sports 2019 Conference takes place at The Royal Society Of Medicine, London on the 18th September 2019.
Building 300 Trinity Park Bickenhill Lane Birmingham International Airport B37 7ES
Tel: 0121 777 1375 Fax: 0121 325 5477 Email: info@sportingequals.org.uk
University Road
Leicester
LE1 7RH
Tel: +44 (0)116 252 2522
Information sourced from Sport England and University of Leicester websites