The AccessibAll Board of Trustees was saddened to hear of the recent passing of Lord Herman Ouseley at the age of 79 following a short illness.

Lord Ouseley had dedicated a significant period of his life to fighting against discrimination within football, founding the organisation Let’s Kick Racism Out Of Football in 1993 before spending over 25 years as the Chair of Kick It Out. He had also served as chair and chief executive of the UK Commission for Racial Equality between 1993 to 2000.

Through his position at Kick It Out, Lord Ouseley played a vital role in identifying and tackling discrimination within the game. He was a pioneer in this field, addressing an issue that had long been swept under the rug, and bringing about transformational change in the industry.

A Kick It Out statement described Lord Ouseley as “a titan in tackling discrimination in football” and “a fearless advocate for underrepresented and disadvantaged communities [who] will be sorely missed”.

Speaking in 2015 on the need for greater improvement around disabled fans matchday experience, Lord Ouseley said, “Declarations from the authorities in the sport of zero tolerance against all forms of discrimination sound good but does not always translate in equality outcomes for many disabled people seeking to work and watch football”.

AccessibAll Chairman Mark Flewitt paid tribute to Lord Ouseley following his passing. Mark said, “It is with great sadness, and the utmost respect for his tireless work, that we mourn the loss of a real friend and advocate. It is fair to say that Lord Ouseley’s determination for football to be welcoming for all has contributed massively to a much more inclusive game today. He was a true trailblazer, and our sincerest condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues at Kick It Out”.

Lord Herman Ouseley, 1945-2024

Published 4/10/2024