Equity Statement 

Muaythai GB is committed to ensuring that the culture, philosophy and processes within the organisation are free from bias and discrimination. It upholds the principles of diversity, equality and inclusion and as such recognises its legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010.  We believe that everyone has the right to participate in an environment free from the threat of discrimination, intimidation, harassment or abuse.

Our aim is create an environment which enables everyone involved to achieve their full potential and have a positive and fulfilling experience in every area of the sport. Muaythai GB are an inclusive and welcoming organisation that respects and values the rights, dignity and worth of every person. We embrace the spirit of equality legislation and are committed to eradicating unfair discrimination on the grounds of

• Sex

•  Gender Identity

• Disability

• Race

• Religion, Belief or Non-Belief

• Sexual Orientation

• Age

• Marriage or Civil Partnership

• Pregnancy/Maternity/Paternity/Caring Responsibilities

• Social Background

• Political affiliation

• Other visible or non-visible differences

Muaythai GB will take positive action:

• To redress and eliminate individual and institutional discrimination.

• To comply with statutory and legislative objectives as set out in the Equality Act (2010).

• To make equality and management of diversity core to the development and delivery of policies, initiative and services to staff, athletes, coaches, volunteers and other stakeholders and partners. 

Aims:

In order to achieve equity, Muaythai GB recognises that in some instances, unequal distribution of effort and resources may be required. This may be necessary when sections of society are faced with barriers that prevent or restrict their participation in Muaythai GB as athletes, coaches, employees and volunteers.

Muaythai GB celebrates diversity within the organisation and seeks to fulfil its commitments by recognising the expertise, abilities and needs of every individual and by acknowledging the right to dignity and respect of every human being. 

Key Objectives:

• All involved in Muaythai GB will respect the rights dignity and worth of all human beings and value individual strengths qualities and talents.

•  All involved in Muaythai GB will be treated fairly irrespective of any visible or non-visible differences.

• Muaythai GB are inclusive and welcoming.

• Discrimination, harassment, victimisation or abuse will not be tolerated within the organisation.

•  Transparent and rigorous polices that respond effectively to any complaints or allegations of unequal treatment or discrimination. 

Responsibility, implementation and communication 

All colleagues, whatever their role, have an important part to play in ensuring that Muaythai GB is a genuinely inclusive organisation. There is a collective responsibility to ensure all working practices are fair and inclusive and by working together we can ensure there is genuine equity within the organisation.

Manager’s Duties: 

For the purpose of this policy, “managers” is defined as persons charged with the responsibility for managing a team or managing a club/association and are responsible for embedding and implementing this policy within their team/club/association. In order for this to be achieved managers should have appropriate training and support in order to ensure they have the knowledge, skills and confidence to achieve this. 

Managers will: 

• Ensure there is open access for all those who wish to participate and work in the sport and that they are treated fairly. 

• Encourage all members, athletes, participants, volunteers, client or other individuals, to take positive steps to promote this policy. 

• Take positive action to ensure compliance with all aspects of equality and diversity, particularly in relation to recruitment, selection, promotion, training and development, and retention. 

• Identify, redress and eliminate individual and institutional discrimination. 

• Comply with statutory and legislative objectives. 

Board Duties: 

• Responsible for ensuring this Policy is reviewed when appropriate. 

• Review the objectives of the action plan and address any issues.

• Responsible for ensuring any breaches are dealt with appropriately. 

• Raise equality as an agenda item at Board meetings.

• Regularly review this policy to ensure continuing compliance. Muaythai GB recognises the following to be unacceptable: 

“Discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation” 

Unlawful discrimination which can take the following forms:

• Direct Discrimination: treating someone less favourably than you would treat others because of a Protected Characteristic 

•  Indirect Discrimination: applying a provision, criterion or practice which, on the face of it, applies equally to all but which, in practice, can disadvantage individuals with a particular Protected Characteristic. Such requirements or conditions are lawful only if they can be objectively justified. 

• Harassment: engaging in unwanted conduct relating to a relevant Protected Characteristic or unwanted conduct of a sexual nature where the conduct has the purpose or effect of violating the recipient's dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the recipient, or any other individual affected by such conduct. Muaythai GB is committed to ensuring that its Stakeholders can conduct their activities free from harassment. 

• Bullying: the misuse of power or position to criticise persistently or to humiliate and undermine an individual's confidence. 

• Victimisation: subjecting someone to a detriment because he or she has in good faith taken action under the Equality Act 2010 (or equivalent legislation) by bringing proceedings, giving evidence or information in relation to proceedings, making an allegation that a person has contravened the Equality Act 2010 (or equivalent legislation) or doing any other thing for the purpose of or in connection with the Equality Act 2010 (or any equivalent legislation). 

Sports Exemptions 

Sex. The existing sports exemption from the current Sex Discrimination Act is replicated in the new Act. The exemption states that competitions, leagues etc can be gender specific where the physical strength, stamina or physique of average persons of one sex would put them at a disadvantage compared to average persons of the other sex. 

Gender Reassignment. The Act also allows for transsexual competitors to be prohibited from competing where the physical strength, stamina or physique of average persons of one sex would put them at a disadvantage compared to average persons of the other sex and where such a prohibition is necessary for fair competition or the safety of competitors. 

Age.  The ban on Age discrimination within Services (introduced under the 2010 Equality Act) came into force on 1st October 2012 and applies to over 18 year olds. In sports there is an exception which allows continued use of age limits and age bands which are necessary for fair competition, the safety of competitors, or to comply with rules set by national or international governing bodies with legitimate aims. For example some tournaments have an 18 – 23 year old category with the intention of bridging the development of junior and senior athletes. 

Bullying and Harassment? 

Bullying is offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, and/or an abuse or misuse of power that is meant to undermine, humiliate, or injure the person on the receiving end. Examples of bullying would include picking on someone or setting him/her up to fail or making threats or comments about someone's job security without good reason. 

Harassment is unwanted conduct related to relevant protected characteristics, which are sex, gender reassignment, race (which includes colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief and age, that: is reasonably considered by that person to have the effect of violating his/her dignity, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for him/her, even if this effect was not intended by the person responsible for the conduct.

Examples of harassment include: 

• Unwelcome and unreciprocated behaviour of a sexual nature. 

• Demeaning comments about a person's appearance. 

• Innuendo with sexual references. 

• References that sexual favours will help to further a person’s career. 

• Chatting with racist, sexist and anti-gay suggestions or references. 

• Unwelcome jokes of a sexual or racial nature or about an individual's age. 

• Laughing along with other people’s offensive jokes. 

• Comments aimed at people because of their age or disability. 

• Offensive remarks with racial overtones. 

• Excluding an individual because he/she is associated or connected with someone with a protected characteristic (for example, his/her child is gay, spouse is black, or parent is disabled).

• Ignoring an individual because he/she is perceived to have a protected characteristic, whether or not he/she does, in fact, have that protected characteristic (for example, an employee is thought to be Jewish)

• The use of obscene gestures

• The open display of pictures or objects with sexual or racial overtones, even if not directed at any particular person e.g., magazines, calendars or pin-ups

• Displaying sexually offensive material on the internet.
  
  

Conduct may be harassment even if the person behaving in that way does not intend to offend. Something intended as a "joke" may offend another person. Everyone has the right to decide what behaviour is acceptable to him/her and to have his/her feelings respected by others. Behaviour that any reasonable person would realise would be likely to offend will be harassment without the recipient having to make it clear in advance that behaviour of that type is not acceptable to him/her (for example, sexual touching).

It may not be so clear in advance that some other forms of behaviour would be unwelcome to, or could offend, a particular person (for example, certain "banter", flirting or asking someone for a private drink after work). In these cases, first-time conduct that unintentionally causes offence will not be harassment, but it will become harassment if the conduct continues after the recipient has made it clear, by words or conduct, that such behaviour is unacceptable to him/her. A single incident can be harassment if it is sufficiently serious. 

If you think you are being bullied or harassed, you may be able to sort out matters informally. The person may not know that his or her behaviour is unwelcome or upsetting. You may feel able to approach the person yourself, or with the help of someone else at Muaythai GB. You should tell the person what behaviour you find offensive and unwelcome and say that you would like it to stop immediately. If an informal approach does not resolve matters, or you think the situation is too serious to be dealt with informally, you can make a formal complaint by using Muaythai GB’s complaints procedure.

Muaythai GB will treat complaints of bullying and harassment sensitively and maintain confidentiality to the maximum extent possible. You have a right not to be victimised for making a complaint in good faith, even if the complaint is not upheld. However, making a complaint that you know to be untrue may lead to disciplinary action being taken against you. 

Further advice and guidance on discrimination can be found here: 

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en

Responsibilities 

Every member of the Muaythai GB workforce is required to assist Muaythai GB to meet its commitment under the Equality Policy which includes providing equal opportunities in employment and avoid unlawful discrimination. Individuals can be held personally liable as well as, or instead of, Muaythai GB, for any act of unlawful discrimination. Persons who commit serious acts of harassment may also be guilty of a criminal offence. 

Acts of discrimination, harassment, bullying or victimisation against employees or other Stakeholders are disciplinary offences and will be dealt with under Muaythai GB’s disciplinary procedure. Conduct of this type will often be gross misconduct which may lead to dismissal without notice.