For the sake of diversity, and a great game, it is time to get behind #Basketball in Britain

I had the privilege of spending Saturday evening with a packed crowd at London’s Copper Box watching Great Britain take on Greece in an international men’s basketball game. On the basis of their respective world rankings, and the quality of the players (a number of the Greeks are in NBA teams), this should have been… Continue reading For the sake of diversity, and a great game, it is time to get behind #Basketball in Britain

Pride in London – Advisory Board report questions organisers approach on diversity

“the current Pride organisers have failed to grasp the importance of diversity, nor of the intersectionalities that many LGBT+ people experience around race, gender, age, disability, and even their sexual orientation and identity”

The #LGBT Rainbow Flag will fly above the City of London Guildhall every year from now on! 

The City of London’s governing Court of Common Council agreed on Thursday 20 July to adopt a motion which means that the LGBT Pride Flag, the Rainbow Flag, will fly above the ancient Guildhall every year to mark Pride week in London. In proposing the motion, which was signed by 40 elected Members of the… Continue reading The #LGBT Rainbow Flag will fly above the City of London Guildhall every year from now on! 

Diversity Champion: It is time for me to ‘come out’ – I am a Freemason

I like to think of my life as being an open book. Whether it be my membership of the Liberal Democrats (or even that I used to be a Tory), my passion for Rochdale Football Club, or my sexual orientation; it is all out there clearly on public display. I’m even reasonably open that I… Continue reading Diversity Champion: It is time for me to ‘come out’ – I am a Freemason

FA dismissal: Edward Lord will still lead the way in UK sport

Letter of support which appeared in the Daily Telegraph on 23 September 2014 following my removal from the FA Inclusion Advisory Board. My thanks go to all those who signed it.  SIR – Having known and worked with Edward Lord, the inclusion adviser dismissed by the Football Association last week, we are surprised by the FA’s… Continue reading FA dismissal: Edward Lord will still lead the way in UK sport

Promoting Inclusion in Football, a statement by Edward Lord

Responding to a demand that he stand down from the FA’s Inclusion Advisory Board following his recent interview with the Daily Telegraph, Edward has issued the following statement: The Football Association should welcome constructive criticism rather than try to silence it. There is no point in appointing external independent advisers and then gagging them from… Continue reading Promoting Inclusion in Football, a statement by Edward Lord

Equal in Soccer? As the World Cup reaches its climax, the diversity challenge facing the world’s most popular sport

Originally published on 11 July 2014 by San Francisco based Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, the world’s largest nonprofit organization specifically dedicated to creating safe and equitable workplaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. By Edward Lord, member of the English Football Association’s Inclusion Board Association Football (or soccer) is the world’s favourite sport, played by more… Continue reading Equal in Soccer? As the World Cup reaches its climax, the diversity challenge facing the world’s most popular sport

Sexism in Football: Dyke and Fry – what action are you going to take on Scudamore?

As a follow-up on my blog post, I have now written an open letter to the Chairmen of the FA and the Premier League asking what action they are going to take regarding Richard Scudamore’s emails which he has accepted were “inappropriate”.   Greg Dyke Esq. Chairman The Football Association   Anthony Fry Esq. Chairman… Continue reading Sexism in Football: Dyke and Fry – what action are you going to take on Scudamore?

Hughton: Possibly the right decision for Norwich, but definitely a disaster for football’s diversity

The decision to sack a manager is always one of the hardest for a football club board. How many matches without a win do we give him (and regrettably it is always ‘him’) before the axe falls? What will the fans’ and players’ reactions be? Who do we get to replace him in the short and… Continue reading Hughton: Possibly the right decision for Norwich, but definitely a disaster for football’s diversity

Another victory for the Lionesses, yet still women’s football remains vastly undervalued

Yesterday – Saturday 5 April 2014 – I had the privilege of watching England beat Montenegro 9-0 in their FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier at Brighton’s Amex Community Stadium. It was an exceptional match, full of entertaining and skillful football, played in a spirit of friendship and good humour. Despite the appearance of the scoreline,… Continue reading Another victory for the Lionesses, yet still women’s football remains vastly undervalued