When I first got involved with AFC Ann Arbor, people asked me what I loved about soccer. My answer was the same as others I\u2019ve met through the sport: \u201cIt\u2019s the world\u2019s game. A global and diverse sport that brings people of all different backgrounds together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pitch should be \u201cthe great equalizer\u201d for all players regardless of skin color, religion, culture or gender. Unfortunately, prejudice and racism continue to plague our sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the US, professional soccer remains diverse on the field but not in ownership, executive, and head coaching positions. According to the Fare Network report, Black and brown players make up 58% of Major League Soccer (MLS) rosters. But off the field, the story differs. White individuals make up 96.2% of club presidents, 92.3% of league executives, and 76.9% of coaches. In the National Women\u2019s Soccer League (NWSL), while there are Black investors such as Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Dominique Dawes and Briana Scurry, 100% of the club presidents, senior executives, and head coaches are white. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe standard of beauty for women in America has always been predominantly white,\u201d said former Michigan State soccer standout, Alex Warner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The lack of diversity at the executive and coaching levels is troubling. Last month, Michael Nsien became just the first Black American coach<\/a> to graduate with a USSF pro license. It’s a sight seldom seen by many players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor me, growing up not seeing a diversity in coaches, administrators, owners in the clubs and leagues I played in was definitely something I took mental notes of,\u201d said Brandon Bye of the New England Revolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of the players I spoke with shared the \u201ctokenism\u201d factor, a path the sport continues down today. This whitewashing of soccer is systemic and ongoing as barriers of cost, transportation, time, and other resources continue to increase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n