BHA 'committed' to diversity strategy after questions over openness on data findings

Ethnicity data collected by the BHA for a diversity and inclusion (D&I) strategy “will be published as soon as we possibly can” after questions were raised as to why it had not been made public 18 months after the survey closed.

Josh Apiafi, the Sky Sports presenter, challenged the BHA in a film released this month, named The Enduring Race, over the failure of the sport to create and publish a D&I strategy despite the Diversity in Racing Steering Group being set up in 2017 and Apiafi producing a separate film five years ago that highlighted racing being “behind the times”.

Speaking to the Racing Post, Apiafi urged the sport to “finally take this seriously” and expressed frustration that information collected in the ethnicity survey, which received funding from the Racing Foundation, remained private despite closing in May 2024.

He said: “Where is the data? Where is the survey? Why don’t we know what it says? The BHA fear they're going to be criticised if it comes back badly, but no-one is going to criticise anyone for wanting to be better, or wanting to improve. We need to face up, be open and say to everyone where we are now, and then we move forward.”

Brant Dunshea, acting BHA chief executive, reiterated there had been “problems getting people to engage” with the survey that were partly down to a “trust issue” due to the organisation’s role as the sport’s regulator.

Dunshea accepted that the survey data had been seen by the BHA executive, but argued against making the information public until it had been further assessed by the BHA board and its new chair, Lord Charles Allen.

Josh Apiafi: wants racing to take diversity and inclusion in the sport "seriously"Credit: Dan Abraham

Speaking at a BHA media briefing, Dunshea said: “We got a new chair four or five weeks ago and the board hasn’t seen it. It’s only right that if the BHA and the sport are producing a new strategy, that the board sees it.

“For example, the strategy on environmental sustainability went through the industry programme group, it went to the board, and the supporting research accompanying that went to the board to see our social impact work, and this process is exactly the same. The new chair will be chairing only his second board meeting next week, and we’re simply working through that process.

“Please understand, and I’ve made this point to Josh in the media and privately, that this is not an issue of a lack of commitment here. We're absolutely committed to improving things and broadening our diversity right across the sport, so we can grow the sport, because we need to reflect society and what society looks like now.

“We’re very much committed to doing that, and it is happening. That work will be published as soon as we possibly can.”

Dunshea added that work on racing's D&I strategy was also feeding into applications for Levy Board funding in 2026, with “a number of key projects related to this work” being put forward for grants.

Watch The Enduring Race here: attheraces.com/leadingtheway

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'You get pats on the back but nobody takes it forward' - Josh Apiafi says racing's warm words over diversity and inclusion are not enough 

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