DEI in British Sport: Horseracing Examined

Chapter 16) From gender parity to gender diversity

How British horseracing moved from ‘Just Jockeys’ and ‘Racing has no gender’ to institutional support for drag queens, Pride events, and LGBTQ activism.

Jun 24 • John Gardner

May 2026

Chapter 15) Racing's Third Calendar

How British horseracing acquired an activist calendar that sidelines dissenting views.

May 27 • John Gardner

2

April 2026

Chapter 14) From assimilation to alienation: staff Zoom call, June 2021

On 25 May 2021, the anniversary of George Floyd’s death, British Horseracing Authority (BHA) chief executive Julie Harrington invited BHA and Great…

Apr 23 • John Gardner

1

March 2026

Chapter 13) An exchange of emails with the new chief executive, May 2021

Newmarket or Minneapolis? Regulatory overreach, and the ongoing redefinition of "racism" in racing.

Mar 25 • John Gardner

February 2026

Chapter 12) Uncomfortable fallout

Annamarie Phelps' interview, Josh Apiafi's motivations

Feb 23 • John Gardner

Chapter 11) The Uncomfortable Race, May 2021; and racing's changing relationships

Josh Apiafi interviews three young black men regarding horseracing and Black Lives Matter.

Feb 4 • John Gardner

January 2026

Chapter 10) From sport to social engineering - a study in institutional capture

The Five Stages of Diversity and Inclusion's entrenchment in British Horseracing.

Jan 8 • John Gardner

1

2

December 2025

Chapter 9) The Absence of Accountability - DiRSG Annual Update, December 2020

Horseracing's Diversity Steering Group becomes a law unto itself; Black Lives Matter revisited; and the Jungle Bunny incident.

Dec 6, 2025 • John Gardner

November 2025

Chapter 8) Rishi Persad's "Leading The Way" interview, November 2020

How a television interview, a misrepresented tweet, and racial dynamics forced British horseracing's senior leadership into line.

Nov 2, 2025 • John Gardner

October 2025

Chapter 7) Black History Month, October 2020

A critical look at Black History Month and lived experience in British Horseracing.

Oct 10, 2025 • John Gardner

September 2025

Chapter 6) Horseracing's LGBT+ eLearning, June 2020

Examining the official LGBT+ online module for jockeys, trainers, and other horseracing staff.

Sep 26, 2025 • John Gardner

1

August 2025

Chapter 5) Black Lives Matter, June 2020

Horseracing’s leadership uses industry platforms to promote BLM, claiming "systemic racism" and "white privilege".

Aug 9, 2025 • John Gardner