World silver medallist and European champion Imani-Lara Lansiquot has joined British Athletics’ Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advocates Group as its Athlete Lead as the organisation expands its commitment to the creation and enhancement of an inclusive culture.
During 2018, the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advocates Group was launched by Donna Fraser – a year after her appointment as Equality, Diversity and Engagement Lead – which invited British Athletics staff who were passionate about E,D&I to support initiatives internally within the organisation.
The Advocates work supports the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 through a variety of activities both internally and externally. These are Age, Disability, Gender Reassignment, Marriage and Civil Partnership, Maternity and Pregnancy, Race, Religion or Belief, Sex and Sexual Orientation. Each advocate focuses on one or two particular characteristics while supporting and amplifying each other’s initiatives.
The group has worked with our Athletics Family within the sport to set up the ongoing ‘Let’s Talk About Race’ programme, the Windrush Generation reflections, the Athletics Pride Network for the LGBTQ+ community, providing ED&I workshops at the Officials’ Conference and to partners of British Athletics, and International Women’s Day series’ such as hearing experiences of female officials in the sport. British Athletics also continues to deliver against its commitment as a Disability Confident Leader and signed up to the Business in the Community’s ‘Race at Work Charter’ in March 2019.
Lansiquot, who is a crucial part of the British women’s 4x100m relay team and who made her European and World Championship debuts in 2018 and 2019 respectively after a successful career as a junior, joins at a crucial time for the Group and will offer expert insight and advice from an athlete perspective in her role as Athlete Lead.
