Goals for the game
Discrimination in English football has reached record levels, from grassroots to the professional game. At the same there is rising concern about the tone of debate around immigration and identity within the sport, fuelled earlier this year by contentious comments from Manchester United’s co-owner Jim Ratcliffe. Samuel Okafor, chief executive of anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out and a former professional footballer, tells journalist Kitty Melrose about the scale of the problem, potential reforms and why the game faces a crucial moment for change.
Last August a Kick It Out report said discrimination in football was at a record high across all levels. What are you seeing this season?
Last year we called it a crisis point. Sadly, reports of discrimination sent to Kick It Out this season have risen by 40 per cent compared with the same point last season across the professional game, grassroots level and online.
Look at what we’ve seen in the past few months alone: Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s comments; [Benfica manager] Jose Mourinho’s response to [the report of racist abuse of] Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior; four Premier League players racially abused online in one weekend; and the Leeds United vs Man City game, where some fans booed players as they broke their Ramadan fast.
These moments reflect what we’ve been seeing all season. Football still has a long way to go in terms of education and acceptance.
Are we seeing more racism or simply better reporting?
It’s both: more discrimination but also a desire and confidence to stand up to it, online and in stadiums by fans. But the players too, like Vinícius Júnior and [Manchester City and former Bournemouth] winger Antoine Semenyo, reporting racist abuse because they’ve had enough. We’ve had teams walk off the pitch off the back of it.
What was your reaction to the comments from Jim Ratcliffe, the Monaco-based billionaire co-owner of Manchester United, about the UK being ‘colonised by immigrants’?
Look, we came in clear and hard: his comments were disturbing, inaccurate and divisive. Language like that doesn’t help drive community cohesion particularly at a time when society is polarised. We were also disappointed that the Football Association did not impose a stronger sanction [Ratcliffe was given a formal reminder by the FA of his responsibilities as a senior participant in football]. Football leaders have an opportunity to bring communities together, not deepen divisions.
It was also very poor of José Mourinho to focus on Real Madrid Vinícius’ goal celebration and to say Benfica are not racist because their legendary player Eusebio was Black. That’s unacceptable – a form of gaslighting. When people in positions of influence use divisive rhetoric, it can embolden others and filter into the culture of the game.
What was positive was seeing Manchester United supporters respond with a pro-immigration ad campaign outside their stadium and a large banner in the crowd saying everyone’s welcome.
Despite strong grassroots participation, why are so few South Asian players reaching the men’s professional game?
This myth that South Asian communities don’t play football isn’t true. There is a huge number of South Asian players at grassroots level, but being identified and pulled into academies is where the huge drop-off is. You have that funnel effect. Only around 1 per cent of professional players in England are from South Asian backgrounds. The community still suffers from stereotypes, and that’s a big challenge as well.
More research on why the barriers exists, better scouting and more inclusive recruitment processes could help ensure talent isn’t missed.
‘We need a system that enables all talent from all backgrounds to thrive’
You’ve said diverse leadership would ensure that concerns of players are better understood and long-term change is accelerated rather than sidelined. What does the data tell us?
That progress is slow. For the first time, clubs began publishing workforce diversity data under new FA rules last year. That’s a big step for transparency, but the picture clearly showed us many clubs still don’t reflect their local communities.
In the Premier League, 43 per cent of players are from Black backgrounds, yet only 3.2 per cent of board and senior leadership roles are held by people from ethnically diverse backgrounds. Senior coaching role figures are worse.
People often use the argument, ‘the best person for the job’ – and we agree. But when you look at the numbers, are you really telling me there just aren’t minority candidates? That the best person is the same people – or are there structural barriers?
We can’t afford to keep losing generations of people who have dreams but can’t see what they want to be. Today, Liam Rosenior at Chelsea is the second Black manager currently in the Premier League and only the 12th in its history. I speak to qualified ex-players who want the opportunity to show what they can do but aren’t getting the chance. That’s why bursaries, fair recruitment methods and stronger governance matter.
We need a system that enables all talent from all backgrounds to thrive.
What role can the new Independent Football Regulator (IFR) play in enabling change in the game?
We know their objective is the financial sustainability of English clubs, but equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is also part of its remit. Under the proposed Corporate Governance Code, they have the powers to make positive actions that clubs must follow. That creates an opportunity to improve how clubs approach EDI. We recently met with the regulator to make sure they don’t put these stubborn issues around EDI on the subs’ bench.
We’ve put forward several measures to the regulator as part of the consultation process including standardised annual reporting of clubs’ workforce diversity data rather than every two years, clear board-level accountability for equality and inclusion, and inclusive fan structures. We should see how a club’s plan is translating into EDI performance. More robust and transparent data means clubs can track progress, report on targets and be held accountable for it.
These aren’t just our ideas. We’ve done work with York University on understanding how other regulators manage EDI in their remits, and with organisations like Fans for Diversity, who really care about this matter. We believe the IFR has a golden opportunity to raise standards across the football pyramid if it takes our recommendations up.
How serious is the problem of online abuse?
It’s a growing concern, not just in football but across society, with reports up by a third this season. We know the impact it has on players, their wellbeing and their families.
Tech companies have a responsibility here but they’re not doing enough. Some are getting better at removing abusive content, but are often slow, and could do far more to stop it existing in the first place. These platforms have the tools, yet too often don’t use it.
There are opportunities with new frameworks like the Online Safety Act, and greater alliance among football bodies to drive it out. We’ve recently set up a working group with the UK Football Policing Unit, FA, Premier League, English Football League, WSL Football, Professional Footballers’ Association and Ofcom to share intelligence about online hate, identify offenders and ensure legal consequences.
‘You’ve got to believe change is possible’
What are Kick It Out’s other priorities over the next few years?
In September 2025, we launched a new five-year strategy Football United, which sets out our goals for the game by 2030. It aims to unite football to end discrimination, boost diversity on and off the pitch, and create a more welcoming game for everyone.
Alongside policy work, we run education initiatives for players and clubs and a popular restorative justice programme for fans who have been discriminatory, where the reoffending rate after nearly 500 sessions is 1.25 per cent.
Is there a project you’re particularly proud of right now?
Our Raise Your Game programme enables people from underrepresented backgrounds to have the skills, capabilities and confidence to apply for jobs – that’s really good.
And we’ve just launched a partnership with Guinness and Greene King in the UK to end discrimination and harassment in pubs. Around 7.5 million people watch football in pubs, so we saw it as an opportunity to influence behaviour beyond stadiums. We’re training thousands of Greene King staff to recognise and respond to discriminatory behaviour, and introducing a reporting service for fans in pubs.
It’s a new venture for us, but we’re excited by what it can achieve.
Despite the challenges, are you optimistic about the future of football?
I’m naturally optimistic. You’ve got to believe change is possible. It might be a small step but have a lasting impact. We’ve already seen progress over the last 30 years. More people are demanding better from the game. If football can use this moment, it can change. We need to capitalise on the opportunities in front of us.
Find out more about Kick It Out’s work at kickitout.org
Kitty Melrose is a freelance journalist based in London specialising in human rights issues.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Runnymede Trust.
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