GB Snowsport has joined other National Governing Bodies in becoming a co-signatory of a statement issued by the Sport and Recreational Alliance (SRA) that has pledged a sector wide commitment to tackle inequality and bring about a meaningful change.

You can read the full Sport and Recreation Alliance statement here:

Sport and recreation sector commit to tackling inequality

The appalling death of George Floyd, the global protests that have followed and the powerful message of the Black Lives Matter movement has made every section of society take notice and confront an ugly truth.

Sport and recreation has an influential role to bring about meaningful change and this period has rightly led the sector to reflect, listen, question, learn and openly discuss how to take positive action.

It is acknowledged that up to this point, we have not done enough.

It is time to confront racism and inequality that exists across sport, from grassroots participation through to the boardroom.

Research by the Sport and Recreation Alliance (2018) showed that four in ten (40%) of BAME participants have endured a negative experience in sport or physical activity settings, more than double that of white participants.

A 2020 Sport England report demonstrates that just over 50% of black people in England meet the recommended levels of physical activity each week.

The Diversity in Sport Governance report (2018/19) identified there is only 5% BAME board representation across Sport England and UK Sport funded organisations.

Constructive work has already been started to address a number of these problems including a committed effort to increase boardroom diversity, additional funding to tackle inequality and an array of inspiring inclusiveness projects from across the sport and recreation sector. This can only be seen as the start.

Systemic change must be made at all levels so that we can become truly reflective of our wonderfully diverse society. We can no longer rely on black role models at the elite level speaking out, we must join together to become better and to support every member of the sport and recreation community.

We must become more inclusive. We must create opportunities which are truly accessible. We must do more.

To help us achieve this, there has to be a commitment for a significant increase in resources and funding, as has been dedicated to address other areas of inequality. We have welcomed the recent news of the Sports Minister’s decision to review the Sports Governance Code.

There is no easy solution and change will require a consolidated approach both from within and outside of our sector. It is time to face awkward questions, to become involved in uncomfortable conversations and to hold ourselves to account.

List of Signatories

Activity Alliance

Active Partnerships

Angling Trust

Archery GB

Associated Board of Dance

Association for Physical Education

Association of British Riding Schools

Association of Colleges

Badminton England

BaseballSoftballUK

Basketball England

Bowls Development Alliance

Boccia England

Bowls England

British American Football

British Association for Shooting and Conservation

British Athletes Commission

British Biathlon

British Blind Sport

British Canoeing

British Cycling

British Dodgeball

British Dressage

British Equestrian Federation

British Eventing

British Fencing

British Gymnastics

British Ice Skating

British Judo Association

British Kite Flying Association

British Martial Arts and Boxing Association

British Moutaineering Council

British Nordic Walking

British Orienteering

British Para Table Tennis

British Rowing

British Shooting

British Showjumping

British Student Taekwondo Federation

British Skydiving

British Taekwondo

British Tenpin Bowling Association

British Triathlon

British Universities & Colleges Sport

British Water Ski & Wakeboard

British Weight Lifting

British Wrestling

EMD UK

England and Wales Cricket Board

England Athletics

England Boxing

England Golf

England Handball

England Hockey

England Korfball

England Lacrosse

England Netball

England Squash

English Ice Hockey Association

English Indoor Bowling Association

English Karate Federation

Federation of English Karate Associations

GB Snowsport

Goalball UK

Golf Club Managers Association

Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby

Ikkaido

International Dance Teachers’ Association

Karate Union of Great Britain

Kent Sport

Lawn Tennis Association

League Managers Association

Leap

Leicester-Shire and Rutland Sport

LimbPower

London Sport

London Sports Trust

North Yorkshire Sport

Northern Counties Dance Teacher Association

Para Dance UK

Parkour UK

Pentathlon GB

Rounders England

Rugby Football League

Rugby Football Union

Skateboard England & Skateboard GB

Snowsport England

Sport Across Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent

Sport and Recreation Alliance

StreetGames

Swim England

Table Tennis England

The British Sub-Aqua Club

The Eton Fives Association

The Golf Foundation

The Keep Fit Association

The Laban Guild for Movement and Dance

The National Association of Karate and Martial Arts Schools

The Professional Golfers’ Association

Trail Riders Fellowship

Triathlon England

UK Athletics

UK Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Association

UK Ultimate

UKA Dance

Volleyball England

Women in Sport

Yorkshire Sport Foundation

Youth Sport Trust