Bradford & District | Archive | 2000 | February | 26
From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Saturday 26th Feb 2000.
Rugby League will become the first sport to launch an amateur club-based initiative to address racial equality.
Amateur clubs in Bradford and Keighley, who will form the pilot scheme, will adopt an equal-opportunities policy and a racial-equality action programme.
The Tackle Racism in Rugby League programme was launched at a gathering at Bradford's Manningham Sports Centre yesterday.
BARLA general manager Ian Cooper told club and council representatives: "The racial equality programme will require clubs to undertake achievable tasks, including the implementation of an internal club complaints procedure for racial incidents.
"We are also asking them to issue a club statement against racism, make regular contact with local ethnic minority organisations and community groups, ensure the removal of graffiti from club premises and appoint a club representative to oversee the implementation of the programme."
Details of the programme will be outlined at meetings at Bradford Bulls and Keighley Cougars during the next fortnight. The Odsal meeting will be on Wednesday and the Cougar Park one on on Monday, March 6.
Rugby League's chief executive Neil Tunnicliffe outlined the progress of the campaign against racism in the professional game.
Other speakers were Coun Danny Mangham, leisure deputy for Bradford Council, Novlette Rennie, national sports development co-ordinator for Sporting Equals, and Mohammed Amran from the Commission for Racial Equality.
The Bulls and the Cougars, who are active in schools and other parts of the community, were also represented.
Representing the Bulls were Steve Fairhurst, community development manager, Paul Medley, player development manager, and one of the players, Tevita Vaikona.
Cougars were represented by their managing director Peter Rowe and players Jason Ramshaw and Matt Foster.
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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