THE RACIAL Equality Standard for Professional Football Clubs sets out a series of measures in a framework document to encourage and support the development of racial equality practice at professional clubs.

Developed by 'Kick It Out', with support of football's governing bodies and from source materials including the Sporting Equals Racial Equality Standard for governing bodies of sport, the Standard will formalise a Club's commitment to ensure spectators, players, managers, and administrative staff can work within an environment free of discrimination, and encourage community accessibility.

The Standard is based on three levels of achievement and covers three main areas of activity at each level. Achievement in the three levels of activity will be supported by relevant evidence and verified by an indepedent accreditation panel.

Preliminary: The Club will have demonstrated a commitment to racial equality by producing a written equal opportunities policy and a race equality plan for all areas of activity. The plan will be monitored. The plan will include an assessment of the Club's current supporter base, community development targets and clear guidelines for dealing with abuse.

Intermediate: The Club will have demonstrated clear improvements in services as a result of monitoring, consulted local ethnic minority communities and implemented its action plan. The Club will be able to show clear evidence of the implementation of an equal opportunities policy.

Advanced: The Club will be an exemplar in the way iut encourages the participation of ethnic minorities at all levels, and areas of activity, as employees, supporters and of community outreach.

Bolton Wanderers Football Club have already achieved the Intermediate level of the Standard and are currently working towards the Advanced level.