Study finds one in four involved in Manx football has witnessed racism

The IOMFA report was completed by about 5% of the island's players

More than one in four people involved in Manx football has encountered or witnessed racism in the sport, a survey has revealed.

The Isle of Man Football Association launched the poll looking into diversity and inclusion in February.

It was prompted after footballer Furo Davies spoke out about racist abuse he experienced as a teenager.

It found 29% of the coaches, referees, parents and fans who responded said they had seen or experienced racism.

The survey asked whether racism was a problem in the Manx game, how welcoming the sport was, and how it could be improved.

Of the 247 respondents, more than half of the 7% who identified as being of an ethnic minority said they had experienced racism, however 90% considered football a "welcoming environment".

Mr Davies said, while he was pleased the results showed that was true "for the most part", the survey also served to highlight some of the issues that were a "societal thing" that was broader than football.

Rob Ewan said there would be further studies regarding diversity and inclusion in future

The IOMFA's equality lead, Rob Ewan, said the figure was higher than expected and showed that it was an issue the organisation would "constantly have to be aware of".

Other findings showed that 74% of respondents were not sure how to report racism, and 43% said they were not confident the IOMFA would deal with a report effectively.

Mr Ewan said they would now make efforts to "explain the reporting and disciplinary process better so people understand it".

Despite the findings, Mr Davies said the report was "a step in the right direction" by the IOMFA, which was "a step ahead of the curve".

"I'm not sure that there are many other county FAs that are taking these kind of steps," he added.