Brighton manager Chris Hughton says football needs greater diversity and inclusion to help tackle racism

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Chris Hughton has reiterated his calls for more diversity in football coaching, board rooms and in charge of the sport's governing bodies in order to help tackle racism in football.

The Brighton manager believes football clubs are making every possible effort to help prevent incidents of racial abuse, but said greater inclusion is required if they are to be completely eradicated.

Last weekend police opened an investigation into alleged racist abuse aimed at Raheem Sterling by Chelsea supporters at Stamford Bridge, while fans of the London club were also accused of antisemitic chanting against Hungarian side Mol Vidi in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Asked what further measures clubs could take to prevent such incidents of abuse, the former Newcastle and Norwich manager was complimentary of the work they already do.

“Credit to all the clubs, if there are incidents anywhere I think the clubs are very quickly on that and are banning supporters who are making racial comments,” he said. “I think clubs are very much on top of what they see.”

But Hughton, whose side host Maurizio Sarri’s team this Sunday, stated in a new book to mark the 25th anniversary of the founding of Kick It Out that football will only overcome the problem of racism if there is a black chairman of the FA, and he maintained that stance by demanding greater inclusion at the highest level.

“What I have always spoken about is inclusion in our game, and that means management at the top level, management at board level, management if I am looking at the FA and Premier League at top roles,” he said.

“I have spoken on many occasions about what I felt about a lack of black managers at the highest level. Total inclusion is good for our game and that is what I think everyone wants to see.”

Hughton, who turned 60 this week and alongside Wolves’ Nuno Espirito Santo is one of only two black Premier League managers, said society as a whole needs to show more respect if racism is to become a thing of the past.

“If we are talking about eradicating something from our game and society, [then] it is about a culture and making sure we are in a position where people are respectful of all colours and creeds,” he stated.

“Racial events in our game, which we are trying as hard as we can to eradicate, are always going to happen. You hope that it is something that doesn’t escalate. Sometimes when times are harder they become more prevalent.

“Racism holds no place in our game and it holds no place in society. But unfortunately there are going to be incidents.”