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Herman Ouseley
Herman Ouseley has been the chairman of Kick It Out since it was formed in 1993. Photograph: Steven Paston/PA
Herman Ouseley has been the chairman of Kick It Out since it was formed in 1993. Photograph: Steven Paston/PA

Herman Ouseley to stand down as chairman of football’s Kick It Out

This article is more than 5 years old
Respected leader of anti-racism campaign to go after 25 years
‘Kick It Out is well positioned to keep the momentum afloat’

Lord Herman Ouseley is to stand down as the chairman of football’s anti-racism campaign Kick It Out after 25 continuous years in that position since the organisation was established in 1993.

The 73-year-old is understood to have informed Kick It Out’s trustees some time ago that he intended to retire at the end of this season and the announcement is not related to the resurgence of alleged racist incidents in the game.

In a statement, Ouseley reflected on the strides made in football against racism, which was overt and widespread from supporters 25 years ago, but warned, as he has done repeatedly, that racism is rising again in Britain at large.

“When I set up the [original campaign organisation] Let’s Kick Racism Out of Football in 1993, I hoped the football authorities would take it on board and tackle the problem,” Ouseley said. “It proved to be a long haul with a slow process of change in pursuit of equality, inclusion and cohesion.

“Recent progress across the game in pursuing equalities for all is offset by the wider society afflictions of prejudice and hatred from which football cannot escape.”

Speaking positively about the future of the organisation, Ouseley repeated a theme he stressed when reflecting on the 25th anniversary of the campaign’s foundation earlier this year, that football can be a force for greater cohesion in society.

“Kick It Out is well positioned with excellent staff to keep the momentum of activity afloat in helping football to be a powerhouse for equality, inclusion and diversity,” he said. “It is also well positioned to continue its excellent work in helping to prepare the next generation of players for the diversity of cultures in the game and to handle all inequalities, discrimination and prejudice.”

That Ouseley’s retirement has been announced during the fallout from incidents of alleged racism confirms a warning he has repeatedly made: that despite huge progress over the years, racism and other forms of discrimination have never been defeated in Britain. When he discussed the challenges and achievements of Kick It Out’s 25 years, he emphasised that toxic Brexit-related rhetoric about immigration has increased social divisions.

The Metropolitan police are investigating alleged racist abuse by Chelsea supporters of Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling, and the banana thrown towards the Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang by a Tottenham supporter at the Emirates Stadium.

Sterling has also complained about racist media coverage, referring specifically to coverage by Mailonline, which he argued portrayed the young black Manchester City footballer Tosin Adarabioyo negatively compared with his white teammate Phil Foden.

Although Kick It Out is funded by the Professional Footballers’ Association, Premier League and Football Association, Ouseley never shied away from criticising the game’s authorities when he believed they were not working hard enough to oppose discrimination and he spoke out strongly following the abuse of Sterling at Chelsea. He said he had previously pointed out that the player has been “treated differently” by the media, and challenged senior figures in the game to speak out.

“What happened at Chelsea shows what is still going on in football,” he said. “Where is [Premier League executive chairman] Richard Scudamore? Where is [the FA chairman] Greg Clarke? Where is Chelsea’s chairman [Bruce Buck]? They should have been talking out … and it has to be dealt with at the top. We do not have any leadership at the top of the game to speak out. They rely on Kick it Out.”

Expanding on this theme in his retirement statement, Ouseley said that he had wanted for years to hand over as chair to “younger equality advocates and campaigners”.

“I have thrown challenges at the leaders in football and they need to show their hands,” he said. “They need to show they are capable of bringing about lasting change if they all come together out of their silos and take a dynamic and coherent approach to meeting the equality challenges.”

Ouseley, who has had a distinguished 56-year career in public service, has never been paid for his role as the chair of Kick It Out.

George Starkey-Midha, a Kick It Out staff member and spokesman, said Ouseley had “led the way in championing equality”, adding: “We owe it to him to continue his legacy by increasing our efforts to eliminate racism and discrimination from the game.”

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