In Scotland we are fortunate to have a diverse population where it is possible to celebrate and be proud of a variety of cultures and ancestry. Increasingly in the 21st century, Scotland has seen many people travelling abroad to other countries and in return, many people from a wide range of countries abroad travelling to and taking up residency in Scotland. This human migration increases the diversity of the Scottish population, and ensures that a wide range of new talent, skills, experiences and knowledge becomes engrained into Scottish life.
Supporting diversity in terms of race and ethnicity in sport is about embracing the backgrounds and experiences of people all over Scotland, and recognising the valuable and varied contribution that people from all races and ethnic backgrounds can make to sport in Scotland.
It is a sad fact that many people in sport and in society more widely are discriminated against, bullied or harassed purely on the grounds of their race or ethnic background. This is wholly unacceptable and should not be tolerated.
Research shows that black and ethnic minority (BME) people are less likely to take part in sport at all levels than white people. In many sports, individuals from particular minority ethnic backgrounds are consistently not represented at the elite level. Racist chanting and abuse is sadly evident in a number of spectator sports that dominate the media. As a result, sports’ ruling bodies have become increasingly vocal about their commitment to tackling this unacceptable behaviour.
sportscotland is proud to be an organisation that embraces the variety of cultures that make up Scotland and encourages participation in sport for all. sportscotland condemns racism, discrimination, bullying or harassment of any individual of group of individuals on the grounds of their race, ethnic background or the colour of their skin.
sportscotland encourages all organisations to join in the fight against racism in sport, and to take positive steps to ensure that barriers to BME people are addressed and broken down.
The Equity Standard can provide a framework which will help sporting organisations to take steps towards ensuring that discrimination on the grounds of race, nationality, ethnicity or colour is identified, tackled and eliminated.