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Leicestershire and Rutland County FA form partnership with Football Delhi

To get as many people playing football in the best possible environment, is the vision of The Leicestershire and Rutland County FA.

 

We are proud of our diverse community and as the local governing body for grassroots football, we are firmly committed to equality in all areas of our work, helping to ensure that groups and individuals of all backgrounds are given the same opportunities within the game.

Building upon our achievement of the Equality Standard for Sport Foundation Level, the Leicestershire and Rutland County FA is now working to develop our Equality Action Plan; to advance equality and increase participation. Feedback from this process highlighted the need to consider how we attract people from more diverse backgrounds and how the county FA is perceived by people from more diverse backgrounds.

Based on the analysis of our equality profile audit data and 2011 census, we have identified that more than 37% of the population of Leicester are of Asian ethnicity, predominantly with roots to India.

Leicestershire and Rutland County FA are delighted to share our innovative partnership with Football Delhi, the local governing body of football in Delhi (India) as one of 37 Indian state football associations affiliated to the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The two organisations have partnered to develop their understanding, awareness, and approach to providing football in the best possible environment.

"I feel that we at Leicestershire and Rutland County FA can learn a lot from Football Delhi, to help us better understand how football serves different countries, cultures and communities. In turn, we have a wealth of experience, expertise and opportunity within grassroots football in Leicestershire and Rutland where we can support others. Leicester and Leicestershire has a very diverse population which contains large portion South Asian population, I hope we can create connections at all levels of the game through the power of football.” 
Sam Turner (Inclusion Director and Inclusion Advisory Group Chair). 

“Through this unique partnership, between two football state associations of different countries across continents, we will work towards sharing knowledge & improving the skills of the Referees & Coaches in Delhi and also provide opportunities for staff to upskill themselves in UK and in India. This will help in developing football across Delhi NCR.”
Aakash Narula (General Secretary, Football Delhi)

Some of our key aims through the partnership are:
● To share ideas, good practices and to work collaboratively to grow opportunities in football for all.
● To better understand different approaches to football and the culture of football, in particular for those football stakeholders and their local communities.
● Develop their football workforce of staff, coaches, referees and volunteers to serve and develop football for their local communities in a safe environment. 

Sarakshi Kapoor (Football Delhi and student at Loughborough University) is supporting the County FA Inclusion Advisory Group and recently accompanied Minesh Gupta (Referee and Inclusion Advisory Group member) to a local fixture and has been inspired to become a referee in the County. 

"I feel that the Leicestershire and Rutland County FA and Football Delhi can work together and share experiences to benefit some of the diverse communities in the county”
Minesh Gupta (Referee and IAG member)’

We are working to ensure that Equality, Diversity and Inclusion are embedded across the Association’s activities and that football is representative of our local communities. Creating a culture where people from all backgrounds feel they can become part of a CFA, leagues and clubs is pivotal in creating lasting change.

Leicestershire and Rutland County FA form partnership with Football Delhi