Some welcome movement towards ‘tangible change’ when it comes to racial inequality

One of the buzzwords that has marked 2020 and the fight for racial equality is “tangible change”. 

We have seen footballers and Formula One drivers take a knee, athletes use their platforms to call for change both in the way people from minority backgrounds are treated by police and by supposed “fans” on social media, and governing bodies take a long hard look at themselves to question whether they are doing enough.

So what does “tangible change” really look like?

When asked if he would take the knee before his heavyweight title fight with Kubrat Pulev last week, Anthony Joshua said: “I won’t take the knee. I’m trying to do more tangible things. What we’re trying to do is create a union to support British culture. That’s important – to showcase people from the Afro-Caribbean community as valuable members of British society.”

Some football players have expressed a similar feeling. They have taken the knee together, but what more can be done?

It is a question that everyone should ask themselves both in and outside of sport, and on Monday morning we saw the very image of “tangible change” when Sky Sports invested £3m worth of support to Kick It Out, the anti-racism group that has been leading the fight to eradicate discrimination from the national game.

That money, committed as part of an agreement that will see Sky become the organisation’s first official media partner, will contribute directly towards reducing and combating racism. There will be more education on offer for young children to prevent such horrific viewpoints from developing in the first place, initiatives that will make it easier to report racist incidents online at matches, and annual transparency and insight reports to increase awareness of issues.

Sky’s commitment to pledge “cash and value in kind support” comes at a time when financial constraints are causing widespread cutbacks, spending reductions and job losses – so it is  a move that can only be applauded. 

The broadcaster itself has helped contribute to the fight for racial equality in 2020, with Black Lives Matter branding featuring on Sky Sports News since the summer and some of the year’s most powerful coverage coming through its work – such as the moving words of Michael Holding and Ebony Rainford-Brent in standing up against racism, and Mike Wedderburn’s anti-racism monologue and subsequent interview with Lewis Hamilton.

Although the figure itself matters because of how big it is, every little counts. It is the decision to create “tangible change” that means so much more. Hopefully, Sky’s landmark agreement will not be the last of its kind.

Yours, 

Jack de Menezes

Sports news correspondent