The Football Association has refused to scrap a “racist” target for almost a third of England’s men’s coaches to be non-white after Suella Braverman branded it “utter woke nonsense”. The Telegraph has more.
Braverman, the former home secretary, who is Reform UK’s Equalities Spokesperson, wrote to Mark Bullingham, the FA Chief Executive, on Tuesday demanding the abolition of a policy she said “divides rather than unites”.
The FA’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy sets a target for 30% of the England men’s coaching staff to be from ethnically diverse backgrounds by 2028.
Posting her letter to Bullingham on X, Braverman said: “The @FA Football Association wants to mandate that one in four football coaches come from a Black, Asian or other minority background.
“As the saying in football goes, this is utter woke nonsense. The game’s gone. Fans don’t care what the coach looks like. They just want the best person for the job, based on merit alone. That’s what gets results. Not tokenism.
“I’ve written to the FA urging a rethink. I’m happy to help them draw up a fairer policy. Let’s kick racism out of football, including anti-white racism.”
Braverman, who in January defected to Reform from the Conservative Party, also wrote in her letter that the policy was “fundamentally flawed, inherently racist and bad for the game”.
She added: “The best coaches should get the job, not because of their skin colour, but because they are the best person for the job.”
The phrase “utter woke nonsense” has become a popular meme among football fans.
An FA spokesperson said in response: “Football has the unique ability to break down barriers and bring communities together. Through our EDI strategy, we aim to ensure the game reflects the full diversity of our nation.
“This means opening up pathways and creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds – including those from historically under-represented groups. While we will always take a meritocratic approach by appointing the best people for roles, we also recognise the importance of having a broader range of participants across the sport.
“We are proud that our strategy is supporting the growth of football among men, women, boys and girls from all communities.”
Hellbound and Down 