The FA Appoints Seven New Members To Inclusion Advisory Board

The FA has appointed seven new members to its Inclusion Advisory Board (IAB).

The IAB is a sub-committee of, and reports into, the main FA Board and was formed in 2013 following the introduction of the cross-football inclusion and anti-discrimination programme.

Former professional footballers Marvin Sordell and Liam Rosenior; Sarah Hughes, CEO, Centre for Mental Health; Edleen John, Director of Inclusion, Diversity and Social Equality, KPMG; and Staynton Brown, Director of Inclusion and Talent, Transport for London, have all joined the Board, which is chaired by former player Paul Elliott.

In addition to the five members above, The FA have confirmed that Kick It Out will continue its observer role, which will now be fulfilled by its Chair, Sanjay Bhandari, while Roya Mehdizadeh-Valoujerdy will represent The FA Youth Council.

“I’m delighted to welcome the new members,” said Paul Elliott, Chair, The FA’s Inclusion Advisory Board. “The standard of candidates was outstanding, and it was important to bring in people who can offer a fresh perspective from both within and outside of football.

“We’ve made great strides since the Inclusion Advisory Board formed in 2013 and it’s crucial to bring in those who can challenge existing ideas. In Pursuit of Progress lays out our mission to make football truly for all. With an ambitious set of targets, we aim to increase the diversity of those playing, coaching, watching and leading football, ensuring it is reflective of modern society, and play our part in removing discrimination from the game we all love.

“I would also like to put on record my gratitude to Chris Ramsey, Shelley Alexander and Danielle Carter, who’d served their terms and were excellent additions to the group in recent years.”

In Pursuit of Progress is The FA’s current three-year equality, diversity and inclusion plan, which includes aims such as increasing diversity amongst The FA’s workforce; creating the smallest gender pay gap of any major sports governing body in England, developing programmes to encourage Asian communities to get involved in football; support for LGBT+ members of the football community, including a partnership with Stonewall, the Rainbow Laces campaign and participating in the annual Pride in London parade.

The IAB also created the Elite Placement Coaching Programme, providing England camp-based opportunities for under-represented groups with national senior teams.