Equity in Action

Being told you're an "injury risk" when your disability was simply never understood. Walking around the Paralympic Village and counting the people who look like you on one hand. These are not abstract barriers, they are the lived reality of navigating sport as a Black disabled athlete in Britain, where race, equity, and fairness are still far from guaranteed.  In this episode of Equity in Action, Zoiey Smale, Disability, Access, and Inclusion Consultant and Sports Presenter, is joined by Didi Okoh - bronze medal-winning Paralympian in the T63 100m at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and Sporting Equals Ambassador. Diagnosed with Lymphedema after years of misunderstanding and dismissed by her club as injury-prone, Didi's route into para-athletics was anything but straightforward. Hers is a story of extraordinary self-belief in the face of systems not built with diversity, inclusion, or fairness in mind.  Together, Zoiey and Didi offer hard-won insights for athletes, coaches, parents, and governing bodies committed to advancing EDI across sport and physical activity:  See the athlete, not the inspiration: Respect para-athletes as the elite competitors they are. Framing matters for who feels welcome and who feels seen.  Don't let anyone push you out: Equality in sport means letting people be the judge of what they can and cannot do. Clubs that dismiss disabled young people as risks are losing extraordinary talent.  Reform starts at the grassroots: Underrepresentation begins early. More connection between hospitals, charities, and governing bodies could open the pipeline. Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not.  Make space for vulnerability: Real inclusion means making room for every part of a person's identity, regardless of race or disability, not just the parts that are easy to celebrate.  Know when to step back: Didi took a six-week break in a Paralympic year. It was the decision that got her to Paris.  _ _  Sporting Equals is a leading UK charity promoting race equality and equity in sport and physical activity, creating a landscape where ethnically diverse communities feel included, represented, and able to thrive.

Behind every young athlete's medal is a family that sacrificed, believed, and showed up, even when the system didn't. Raising a child in sport isn't just about training schedules and competition entries; it's about navigating race, bias, and financial strain, and the quiet courage it takes to keep going when fairness feels out of reach.  In this episode of Equity in Action, Zoiey Smale, Disability, Access, and Inclusion Consultant and Sports Presenter, is joined by three generations of a remarkable wrestling family whose legacy spans nearly 50 years. Rowin Manjeet Singh Leil II is a British freestyle wrestling champion, youth coach, and sports science student who began wrestling at 12. His father, Michael Singh, is a former wrestler and long-standing coach representing the second generation of this sporting tradition. And Manjit Singh is the man who started it all; one of the early British Asian wrestlers, who arrived in the UK in 1962 and won the British Championships in 1976. Together, they explore what it truly means to raise a child through sport while holding onto racial identity, cultural pride, and a deep belief in equity and equality for all.  Zoiey, Rowin, Michael, and Manjit offer honest, hard-won insights for parents, coaches, and governing bodies committed to advancing diversity, inclusion, and EDI across sport and physical activity:  Honour the family behind the athlete: Clubs and governing bodies should recognise that diverse families often self-fund travel, equipment, and training without access to the same networks or funding streams. True equality in sport and physical activity means building pathways that acknowledge this reality and actively working to level the playing field, not just on paper, but in practice.  Move the goalposts back: When criteria for selection or progression keep shifting, it erodes trust and discourages talent from underrepresented communities. Governing bodies must be transparent, consistent, and accountable. Setting clear expectations and honouring them, especially for athletes who have already met the bar.  Build clubs where no colour, no creed is the culture: Real inclusion isn't a policy document; it's the four-year-old on the mat, the autistic teenager who just asked their first question, and the community session held in a Gurdwara. Genuine diversity and inclusion means designing your club environment so that every young person, regardless of background, race, or ability, feels they have a place in sport.  Champion long-term development over short-term glory: Resist the pressure to chase medals at the expense of the person. The most powerful thing you can give a young athlete isn't a trophy; it's the discipline, resilience, and self-belief to keep going. Winning will come; your job is to make sure they're still standing when it does.  -- Sporting Equals is a leading UK charity promoting race equality and equity in sport and physical activity. Their mission is to create a sporting landscape where ethnically diverse communities feel included, represented, and able to thrive — whether on the pitch, in leadership, or in decision-making spaces.

In both elite and grassroots sport, talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not. Access is still strongly shaped by socioeconomic background, ethnicity, and geography. For associations and clubs building sporting communities, it is crucial to consider who they want to reach, when engagement should begin, and how individuals can be connected beyond entry-level participation.  Zoiey Smale, Disability, Access, and Inclusion Consultant and Sports Presenter, is joined by Olympic Bronze Medallist Yemi Mary John, Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist Steve Frew, and Naz Deen, Head of Youth and Sport at Coram’s Field, to highlight the urgency of preventing a lost generation in sport, caused by barriers to access, lack of diversity, and insufficient leadership.  In this episode of Equity in Action, the panel explores:  How opportunity can be unequal from the start: High costs for fees, equipment, travel, and time away from work create barriers before talent is ever spotted. By the time selection processes begin, the playing field is already uneven.  How family support can be a hidden gatekeeper: Young people without financial, time, or knowledge resources often never reach the environments where their talent could flourish. When progression relies on family capacity, inequality is baked into the system.  Why equity requires structural change, not short-term projects: One-off initiatives and pilot schemes are insufficient. True inclusion demands sustained investment, leadership that reflects the communities served, and practical solutions around cost, transport, and consistent local provision.  ---   Sporting Equals is a leading UK charity promoting race equality and equity in sport and physical activity. Their mission is to create a sporting landscape where ethnically diverse communities feel included, represented, and able to thrive – whether on the pitch, in leadership, or in decision-making spaces.

Sports can’t be truly inclusive if they’re built on exclusive ideas of who “deserves” to be there. Inclusion isn’t just about diversity; it’s about how we design environments where everyone feels they belong, on and off the pitch.    In this episode of Equity in Action, Zoiey Smale, Disability, Access, and Inclusion Consultant and Sports Presenter, is joined by Laura Samuels, Safeguarding Manager, Leicester City Football Club Women, Cleveland Taylor, Head of Player Care, Leicester City Football Club Men, and Aura Chacón, Community Engagement Coach, Leicester City in the Community. They discuss the initiatives that Leicester City Football Club is championing to make its sporting community inclusive and comfortable for people from all backgrounds.  Zoiey, Laura, Cleveland, and Aura offer actionable solutions that create a fair sporting environment:  Put the person before the performance: Whether you’re in coaching, admin, or community work, build systems that look after the person first, not just the athlete or participant. Make regular “check-in” conversations a non‑negotiable part of your routine and broaden the conversation to include their lives off the pitch.    Create strong community voices: Create formal and informal ways for players, parents, staff, and community members to influence decisions, then act on what you hear. Set up feedback forums, surveys, and speak to people in real life to influence decisions within the organisation.    Use lived experience to influence the community: Treat your own and others lived experiences as expertise. Design programs with people, not for them, especially when engaging underrepresented groups.   ---   Sporting Equals is a leading UK charity promoting race equality and equity in sport and physical activity. Their mission is to create a sporting landscape where ethnically diverse communities feel included, represented, and able to thrive – whether on the pitch, in leadership, or in decision-making spaces.

Far beyond slogans or participation numbers, what does truly inclusive sport look like? From community-led running clubs to rethinking school PE and talent pathways, sporting organisations need to move beyond elitism and create sport that starts with people, not performance.  Zoiey Smale, Disability, Access, and Inclusion Consultant and Sports Presenter, is joined by Jessica Milloy, Founder of Asian Girls Run, and Richard Grainer, CPO of Everybody Counts. Together, they discuss how sporting organisations can change racial narratives and include underrepresented communities. Jessica and Richard share how they are working to move the needle in the sporting industry and make sport accessible to everyone.  This episode of Sporting Equals offers useful insights into how you can make sports more inclusive:   Making an impact locally: Whether you are a coach, club volunteer, PE teacher, or parent, design sessions where people feel they belong before they feel they have to be good.  Asking, not assuming: Invite participants to share what would make them feel comfortable, motivated, and interested, and then adapt your sessions based on what you hear.  Addressing both visible and invisible barriers: Work on cost, location, and information, as well as fear, comparison, and lack of representation.  ---   Sporting Equals is a leading UK charity promoting race equality and equity in sport and physical activity. Their mission is to create a sporting landscape where ethnically diverse communities feel included, represented, and able to thrive – whether on the pitch, in leadership, or in decision-making spaces.

Faith, culture, and race can shape not only how athletes are perceived but also whether they are allowed to compete at all. In British boxing, a long-standing beard ban once excluded Sikh athletes outright. Its eventual removal became a turning point for Sikh participation and a powerful example of how sport can either reinforce exclusion or embrace change.  In this episode of Equity in Action, host Zoiey Smale, Disability, Access, and Inclusion Consultant and Sports Presenter, sits down with professional boxer Inder Bassi to unpack his journey as a Sikh athlete navigating tradition, identity, and professional sport. A third-generation boxer following in the footsteps of his grandfather, father, and uncle, Inder has become a prominent voice for inclusion in British boxing, both inside and outside the ring.  Zoiey and Inder explore:  How faith has grounded him through setbacks and the pressure of being a role model within his community  The impact of racism and stereotyping on his path to becoming a professional boxer  Practical ways athletes, organisations, and community leaders can champion inclusion, even though changes that may seem small but carry enormous weight  The importance of education and mindset in combating exclusion.   ---  Sporting Equals is a leading UK charity promoting race equality and equity in sport and physical activity. Their mission is to create a sporting landscape where ethnically diverse communities feel included, represented, and able to thrive – whether on the pitch, in leadership, or in decision-making spaces.

What does it really look like when young people from ethnically diverse communities lead change in sport? Moving beyond participation to step into roles as leaders, mentors, and decision-makers builds confidence in the next generation of athletes and supports sustained growth within grassroots organisations, all in the pursuit of genuine inclusivity.  In this episode of Equity in Action, host Zoiey Smale, Disability, Access, and Inclusion Consultant and Sports Presenter, is joined by Simran Hayer, Sporting Equals Ambassador and Community Football Leader, Azi Mohammed, Chief Operating Officer of Salaam Peace, and Dr. Paul Campbell, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Leicester. Together, they explore the impact of diverse leadership in sporting organisations. Drawing on perspectives from community practice, lived experience, and academic research, Zoiey, Simran, Azi, and Paul highlight the power of representation, the need to shift from reactive to proactive systems, and the structural changes required by national governing bodies to make sport genuinely inclusive and anti-racist.  In this conversation, the panel explores:  How youth activism is reshaping sport at both grassroots and leadership levels.  Why representation and inclusion must go hand in hand, and why optical diversity alone is not enough.  How social media and digital nativity are transforming activism.  What National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and sports organisations must change structurally to foster inclusivity and anti-racism.  How to create real, sustainable pathways for diverse young leaders.  ---  Sporting Equals is a leading UK charity promoting race equality and equity in sport and physical activity. Their mission is to create a sporting landscape where ethnically diverse communities feel included, represented, and able to thrive – whether on the pitch, in leadership, or in decision-making spaces.

Faith, culture, and identity are essential to building truly inclusive sport. Too often, hard-to-reach communities are overlooked, limiting access and opportunity. By creating safe, culturally responsive spaces for women, girls, families, and elders, spaces that welcome everyone regardless of faith or background, grassroots organisations can foster meaningful growth and inclusion on a wider scale. Host Zoiey Smale, Disability, Access, and Inclusion Consultant and Sports Presenter, is joined by Khadija Patel, founder of Krimmz Youth Club, and Shiv Krishan, Cricket Coach and key figure within the Bradford Hindu Council. Together, they explore why representation-led spaces empower marginalised communities by encouraging freedom of expression, confidence, and personal growth. Both Khadija and Shiv share that their experiences, marked by a lack of leadership and by spaces led by people who resembled them, motivated them to create change. In this episode of Equity in Action, Zoiey and her guests discuss: What’s been missing in sport: A lack of culturally aware, faith-responsive provision and visible role models from within the community, particularly women and ethnically diverse coaches. The impact of COVID-19 on inclusivity: How pioneering online activity groups provided vital physical outlets while fostering connection and positivity. Making sport more accessible: Strategies such as family-wide participation, flexible payment options, and community partnerships that help remove barriers to entry. --- Sporting Equals is a leading UK charity promoting race equality and equity in sport and physical activity. Their mission is to create a sporting landscape where ethnically diverse communities feel included, represented, and able to thrive – whether on the pitch, in leadership, or in decision-making spaces.

Do you ever wonder why fostering inclusion in your community matters? Equity in Action explores the barriers faced by people from minority groups in the sporting world, alongside real-world examples of how communities, professionals, and organisations are working to break down historical barriers.  Equity in Action is brought to you by Sporting Equals, a leading UK charity promoting race equality and equity in sport and physical activity. Hosted by Zoiey Smale, Disability, Access, and Inclusion Consultant and Sports Presenter, the series features conversations with leaders across the sporting sector, including parents, innovators, and professional athletes. From 27 January 2026, you’ll hear inspiring stories from across the United Kingdom and gain practical insights each week on resilience, courage, and innovation, alongside actionable strategies to improve diversity, equity, fairness, and inclusion in sport. In this teaser episode of Equity in Action, you’ll hear about: The task at hand: addressing racial inequalities in UK sport and exploring ways to foster equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Zoiey’s trailblazing journey toward inclusivity: From athlete to coach, highlighting barriers and lack of support for ethnically diverse talent. Sport’s broader role in the community: Building resilience, leadership, and life skills beyond performance. The need for systemic change: Understanding exclusion and underrepresentation as structural issues and exploring how education and transformation can create lasting change.  ---  Sporting Equals is a leading UK charity promoting race equality and equity in sport and physical activity. Their mission is to create a sporting landscape where ethnically diverse communities feel included, represented, and able to thrive – whether on the pitch, in leadership, or in decision-making spaces.