Suella Braverman, a Reform MP and former Conservative minister, has launched a scathing attack on the Football Association's diversity target for England men's coaching staff, labelling it "utter woke nonsense" and demanding its immediate abolition. In a strongly worded letter to FA chief executive Mark Bullingham, Braverman has called for the governing body to scrap its ambition for at least 25 per cent of coaches to come from non-white backgrounds by 2028.
Braverman's Critique of FA Diversity Strategy
The controversial target forms part of the FA's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for 2024 to 2028, which includes a stretch goal of 30 per cent representation across all age levels of England men's coaching. Braverman, who defected from the Conservatives to Reform earlier this year, has described this approach as "fundamentally flawed, inherently racist and bad for the game" in an official Reform statement.
Proposed Alternative: 'The Best Person for the Job'
Braverman has requested a personal meeting with Bullingham and suggested replacing the current policy with a new principle entitled 'The Best Person for the Job'. In her correspondence, she wrote: "The FA has led the fight to kick racism out of football, a mission I utterly support. There is no place for discrimination of any kind in our national game. Yet your DEI strategy does precisely that, it divides rather than unites. It replaces merit with quotas and implements identity politics where teamwork, ability and hard graft should prevail."
FA's Defence and Football's Diversity Landscape
The Football Association has been approached for comment regarding Braverman's criticisms. When the strategy was originally launched, Bullingham stated: "Through our new strategy, we will work with our partners across football to boost representation, drive inclusion and tackle discrimination at all levels of our game. We have seen how the power of football can bring communities together and celebrate diversity, and we want to continue to use our influence to deliver positive and lasting change that we can all be proud of."
Industry Perspectives on Football Diversity
Tony Burnett, former chief executive of anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out, offered a contrasting perspective in 2023, telling the Press Association: "Football is one of the last bastions of the old boys' network, to be absolutely frank. When you look at the representation across football, what's really clear is there is a myth of meritocracy."
A March 2023 report from the Black Footballers Partnership revealed modest progress in representation, finding that the number of management-related positions held by black employees increased by eight in 2022 compared to the previous year. The figures showed a rise from 49 individuals among 1,338 (3.7 per cent) to 57 out of 1,304 (4.4 per cent).
Regulatory Pressure for Inclusion
Kick It Out continues to advocate for the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) to ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion principles become central to the governance codes that clubs must adopt under its forthcoming licensing regime. This regulatory push highlights the ongoing tension between voluntary diversity targets and mandatory governance requirements within English football's administrative structures.
The debate surrounding the FA's diversity targets reflects broader societal discussions about meritocracy, representation and inclusion in British institutions. As football continues to grapple with these complex issues, Braverman's intervention adds significant political weight to an already contentious policy discussion within the national sport's governance framework.
