Riz rehman announced as new chair of surrey fa’s inclusion advisory group

Surrey Football Association is delighted to announce the appointment of Riz Rehman as the new chair of its Inclusion Advisory Group [IAG].

The 36-year-old is currently an education advisor with the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) where he works with clubs and community trusts to set up learning centres to enhance training and educational provisions for scholars and first team players.

He was previously on the Inclusion Advisory Groups for the Hampshire FA and the Berks & Bucks FA and currently (since 2014) sits on the Advisory Group for the Premier League’s flagship ‘Elite Coach Apprenticeship Scheme.’

Rehman is a qualified FA Level 2 and UEFA B coach and former professional footballer who came through Brentford’s youth system before serious injury ended his playing career at 21.

He’s also a trustee for his brother’s charity, the Zesh Rehman Foundation, which uses football to drive sports participation, community cohesion and social development.

“I am delighted and honoured to be asked to take on the role of chair for the Surrey FA Inclusion Advisory Group,” he said.

“Personally and professionally I feel that the objectives of the organisation met my own passions and desires to increase participation, making football accessible for all and developing an understanding of equality and diversity through the power of sport. This is an exciting time to be involved and I am relishing the challenge ahead.”

“Having spent my childhood playing in the Surrey Leagues, it’s an area I know well and I think the work that Surrey FA is doing and the amount of adults and young people involved in the game in the county, it’s important that those people from minority or disadvantaged backgrounds know the pathways into coaching, management or refereeing.”

The IAG is an independent body which provides advice to the Surrey FA Board on matters of equality, diversity and inclusion to ensure children, young people and adults of all backgrounds and communities can access high-quality opportunities across grassroots football.

As chair, Rehman will lead the IAG in support of Surrey FA updating and delivering its Equality Action Plan and running projects across the organisation to continue to achieve the Equality Standards for Sport.

Steve Bradshaw, Surrey FA’s chief executive, said, “I am delighted that Riz has agreed to chair Surrey FA IAG. I have known Riz professionally for over 10 years and his integrity and commitment to the education agenda is remarkable. I look forward working with Riz to ensure that inclusion remains at the heart of everything we do.”

Surrey FA was the first County FA to be awarded the Intermediate Level of the Equality Standard for Sport, received in 2017, and is working towards the Advanced Level, which only a handful of sport governing bodies currently hold.

The organisation is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for everyone within football, through initiatives such as its highly successful Inclusive Level 1 Coaching courses which have seen 27 candidates with a disability complete the qualification over the last two years.

NOTES TO EDITORS

For further information or to arrange a comment of interview from Riz, please contact:

James Chadwick via James.Chadwick@SurreyFA.com or mobile: 07591 383 454