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"Sporting Equals commissioned the Centre for Leisure and Sport Research to examine racial equality in sport. The project has been concerned with the structures of sports organisations rather than people participating in the sports themselves. The report draws on the findings of two projects that examined the stage reached by national sports organisations in their implementation of policies designed to secure racial equality. Wherever possible progress is assessed by comparison with an earlier study conducted by Sporting Equals in 1999. The particular focus is on the process of implementing the good practice identified in the Standard for Achieving Racial Equality in Sport.
Headline points
• There is now a greater recognition of the importance of policies for racial equality within sport. However, this is still not a high priority, losing out in the face of competing demands and being vulnerable to staff changes.
• Basic messages have not yet spread far beyond the core of the national sports organisations – regions, districts, counties, clubs are not well informed.
• Most sports organisations welcome the challenge of the Standard and its levels, others find the generic template unnecessarily restrictive (trapping rather than facilitating).
• The majority find Sporting Equals staff helpful and supportive in pressing for progress, but a few consider them inflexible.
• Most feel the whole area is under resourced, particularly in human/staff terms.
• Organisations feel the need for external help, advice and support."
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