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The London FA has lead by example when it comes to working hard to ensure a greater BAME representation and recruitment of women onto their panels.

In 2017, the LFA appointed 10 new Non-Executive Board members of which 50 per cent were women, including Vivienne Aiyela, Chair of the Anti-Discrimination Disciplinary Panel for The FA.

The focus on ensuring the Association is inclusive and representative of Londoners has continued, and last month a little bit of history was made when for the first time ever, an all-female panel sat at the LFA's weekly discipline panel.

Carl Long, LFA’s Investigations Officer, arranged the panel and acted as secretary, while independent members Anita Poulman and Fiona Rudge were joined by LFA Council Member Louise Dorling, who was appointed as the Chair of the panel.

And for Louise,  the opportunity to be the panel's appointed Chair, proved a real highlight after being involved with football for over 40 years during which she has, amongst others, been Chair of a Youth League and League Secretary.

“The club secretaries, all males, had to deal with me on a daily basis and it took a lot of hard work and effort to prove I could do the job!" she told the LFA website.

"I had to prove so much more than anyone previously in my role. I then kept this role for over 30 years and developed my skills which took me eventually into the London FA and their judicial procedures. I have been a qualified Chair (still one of only a few women) and secretary for several years and it is with great pleasure that today I chair an all-female panel.”     

Disciplinary panel debutants Anita and Fiona, who was encouraged to apply after being encouraged to apply by Vivienne Aiyela, are both delighted with their new role.

Fiona explained, “Whilst attending the Achieving Gender Equality in Sport for Women conference in London in 2018 I was blown away by one of the speakers (Vivienne Aiyela) who had just been appointed a non-executive director of the London FA.

“She inspired me to apply for a position as an independent panel member of disciplinary hearings for the London FA. Whilst I have a keen interest in sports, both participation and spectating, this opportunity enables me to be involved in sport in a completely new way. I am able to use the skills I have learnt through education, training and within my current role as a solicitor relating to sports governing bodies, doping control, rules of sport & conduct and sports injuries.”

Anita added: “It is hard to explain how thrilled I am to be part of the first all-female disciplinary panel for the London FA.

"I guess it is the third of my three big football firsts. The first was to receive recognition as the first female referee at a five-a-side tournament for a local children’s league. Demonstrating what a small world this is, I received that award from Louise who is the Chair of this all-female panel we are now celebrating.

"My second was to be the first female to chair the Maccabi Junior Football League – a role I held for three years until work travel forced me to step down. I am sure that this all female panel will be the first of many, and hopefully will encourage more ladies to get involved in developing the game we all love."

The London FA wants to ensure it has a diverse representation across all its panels so if you are interested in finding out more about the recruitment process for independent Panel Members, please click here.

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