Football regulator will reject calls to play a bigger role in promoting equality at clubs | Football politics

The Independent Football Regulator (IFR) is ready to reject Kick It Out’s calls to take a greater role in promoting equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) across the sport.

The IFR, following a second round of consultations on licensing terms, has decided not to meet Kick It Out’s demands to set EDI targets for clubs and will not force them to submit annual reports on staff demographics.

Kick It Out has been lobbying for the IFR to place greater responsibility on EDI since the government-backed body was established last year. Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor described the regulator’s initial proposals as “inadequate” and, in a correspondence sent to the IFR in March, accused the regulator of “putting equity on the bench”.

The IFR responded by saying it was “premature to allege shortcomings in our approach to EDI” as it prepared for a second consultation on its licensing policy.

The IFR is said to have seriously considered Kick It Out’s requests during the consultation with clubs and other stakeholders that concluded last month, but concluded that the EDI objectives and annual reporting in particular fell outside its remit.

The IFR’s conclusions are believed to stem from the fact that it is primarily a financial regulator designed to promote sustainability in the men’s professional game and prevent a repeat of the mismanagement that led to Bury being expelled from the English Football League and into bankruptcy in 2019.

During the final passage of the Football Governance Act last year, MPs were given the opportunity to add EDI targets for clubs to the IFR’s responsibilities, but they did not do so and the regulator has concluded that its ability to act was limited by the powers granted in the legislation.

It is believed that the IFR also views EDI as a matter for the Football Association, which has taken steps to increase the diversity of those working in the football sector in recent years, particularly in coaching and managerial roles.

The FA launched a voluntary diversity code for football leadership in 2020, introducing targets to “promote diversity and inclusivity”, but clubs have missed targets to have 15% of new hires from a black or minority ethnic background and 30% from women.

The FA has strengthened the code by making the reporting of personnel data mandatory and there are now penalties for failing to meet targets. Reporting must take place every two years.

The EDI policy is part of the IFR’s remit, with the licensing system requiring the 116 clubs in the top five divisions to report on the actions they have taken to improve EDI in their corporate governance statements, which must be submitted to the IFR and published on their websites.

Kick It Out sees this as insufficient and a missed opportunity, and is expected to make a public statement after the IFR’s updated licensing rules are published next month.

The IFR declined to comment on the likely content of those rules, but a spokesperson said: “Equality, diversity and inclusivity are a key element of the Football Governance Act. The IFR is currently developing an EDI policy for the 116 regulated clubs it oversees, and is working extensively with organizations such as Kick It Out to ensure best practice. We will soon publish our full consultation response and final rules and guidance.”

The IFR’s approach to diversity came under further criticism in April when it emerged that its nine-member government-appointed board did not include a director from an ethnic minority background. There are no plans to expand the board. The appointments were made by the Ministry of Culture, Media and Sport.

A spokesperson for Kick It Out said: “We look forward to further positive discussions with the IFR on our equality, diversity and inclusivity proposals for the club’s governance code. This is an opportunity to shape a future where football truly represents the communities it serves.”