Lord Herman Ouseley, the founder of anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out, has passed away at the age of 79 following a brief illness, the organization announced on Thursday.
Ouseley established Kick It Out, initially named Let’s Kick Racism Out of Football, in 1993. He led the charity as its chairman for a quarter of a century, spearheading efforts to combat discrimination in football.
In addition to his work with Kick It Out, Ouseley served as the chief executive of the Race Equality Commission and held a position in the House of Lords as a crossbencher until his retirement in 2019.
Kick It Out released a statement honoring Ouseley’s legacy: “Lord Ouseley was a titan in tackling discrimination in football. He was also a fearless advocate for under-represented and disadvantaged communities and will be sorely missed. We owe him a huge debt of gratitude and vow to continue that legacy for the benefit of future generations.”
The Football Association (FA) also paid tribute to Ouseley’s contributions, stating: “We are extremely saddened to hear about the passing of Lord Herman Ouseley. He was a trailblazer in English football, having the original vision for Kick It Out. He played a hugely inspirational role in tackling discrimination across our game.”
Ouseley’s work in combating racism and discrimination in football has left an indelible mark on the sport, with his efforts continuing to influence anti-discrimination initiatives in English football and beyond.
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