Ouseley to step down at Kick It Out, with challenge to football to make ‘lasting change’

December 12 – Lord Herman Ouseley is to stand down as chairman of British football’s anti-discrimination group Kick It Out at the end of the season.

The organisation was set up 25 years ago by the 73-year-old to tackle racism and discrimination in the sport.

In a statement on Tuesday, he said: “When I set up the Let’s Kick Racism Out of Football in 1993, I hoped that the football authorities would take it on board and tackle the problem.

“It proved to be a long haul with a slow process of change in pursuit of equality, inclusion and cohesion.

“Over the past decade, I have indicated my wish each year to step down from the Chair and move on and hand over the reins to younger equality advocates and campaigners, but have always been told that ‘not now, this is the wrong time’, and no one else has stuck their head above the parapet to lead the organisation.

“Well, now is the right time for new leadership of Kick It Out, as I re-focus my life for new challenges after 56 years of public service.”

The news that Lord Ouseley is planning to quit comes just a few days after Manchester City’s England forward Raheem Sterling was racially abused by at least one Chelsea fan.

“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,” Lord Ouseley added. “What happened at Chelsea shows what is still going on in football. We do not have any leadership at the top of the game to speak out.”

“I have thrown challenges at the leaders in football and they need to show their hands – they need to show they are capable of bringing about lasting change.”

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