Twelfth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

Sport research related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (EDI) covers numerous areas of study, such as gender, race, age, sexuality, ability, and how those constructions affect notions of discrimination and marginalization. In addition, the year of 2020 reshaped conversations about EDI highlighting the violence against Black persons emphasized by the killing of George Floyd and ensuing Black Lives Matter protests, as well as contributing factors associated with the lockdown conditions of COVID-19 further exacerbating attention on those social issues. Scholarship largely centers on American sport systems (Hylton, 2009; Long & Hylton, 2002). In Canada, the focus centers on notions of multiculturalism (P Donnelly & Nakamura, 2006; Frisby, 2005; Kidd, 2013b) rather than ‘race’ in understanding ongoing inequity. By framing inequity through ‘race’ ongoing barriers to access and participation can be seen as an extension of ongoing anti-Blackness that informs Canadian sporting institutions. This paper offers insights from a study examining EDI within the Canadian sport industry. The study’s central research question is: “To what extent does the Canadian sport industry demonstrate principles of diversity, equity and inclusion; and to what effect are their corresponding values evident via policy and lived experiences?” The methodology uses narrative inquiry to analyze the rich, lived experiences of participants to offer insights into the systemic barriers affecting racialized persons within the sport systems and sport industry. The outcomes support senior leadership in affecting change through diversity programs in sport and the sport industry for those identifying as belonging to racialized and marginalized communities.