Kick It Out staff member joins FA Inclusion Advisory Board

Monday 16 Dec 2013
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Rishi Jain, Kick It Out’s Football League Development Officer, has been appointed to The Football Association (FA) Inclusion Advisory Board (IAB).

Rishi, who joined the Kick It Out team in October, has an extensive background in promoting diversity in football having worked as the Equality and Inclusion Advisor at Liverpool Football Club.

The introduction of Rishi to the IAB is something that represents an exciting new adventure for him.

He said: “Along with the other members of the group, I think there is a fantastic opportunity to assist and guide The FA with its ongoing work in the area of equality and inclusion across different levels of the game.”

He will join a 10-strong board featuring the likes of Rimla Akthar, a member of Kick It Out’s Grassroots Guidance Group, and former England international Graeme Le Saux.

The IAB will be chaired by former Millwall FC chief executive Heather Rabbatts, who in 2011, became the first woman to be named as an FA director.

Rabbatts commented: “This group is vital for meeting the future aims and ambitions of a modern FA. We believe that we have a breadth of representation, skills and experiences that will give direction and guidance for the game.”

The board will host its first meeting in January 2014. Rishi will be using his range of expertise on a number of issues.

He added: “Through my past experiences within football and my current role at Kick It Out, I believe I can positively contribute to this board. I am very much looking forward to being involved in this.”

Please see the full list of The Football Association (FA) Inclusion Advisory Board (IAB) members here:

Heather Rabbatts, Chair of the IAB
Michael Johnson, Former Birmingham City and Derby County
Shelley Alexander, BBC Sport and Women in Football
Graeme Le Saux, Former England international
Joyce Cook OBE, Level Playing Field
Rishi Jain, Kick It Out
Edward Lord, Politician
Rimla Akthar, Muslim Women’s Sports Foundation
Peter Clayton, Middlesex FA
Thura Win, Women’s Premier League

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