It will make recommendations to the Basketball Ireland Executive on the implementation of proactive initiatives within the sport.
Matt Hall, Basketball Ireland’s Senior Technical Officer, will chair the panel. He will be joined by Pyrobel Killester player Michael Westbrooks, DBS Eanna player Hillary Nets, Dundalk Ravens coach Fu Paapito, Noli Alngohuro, a prominent member of the Filipino basketball community in Galway and Bunmi Aoko, who is the mother of Irish underage international Michelle Ugwah.
Michael Westbrooks welcomed the move by Basketball Ireland and said:
“It is an honour to be involved with the new Basketball Ireland Diversity Panel. It is an opportunity to address some of the issues facing black people and people of colour within the basketball community. I am excited to be a part of this, while trying to help further the sport within Ireland.”
Speaking about the new Diversity Panel Basketball Ireland Chairman, Paul McDevitt, added:
“This is an important initiative and am delighted that the five people mentioned have accepted our invitation to join the group and advise us on policy. Basketball Ireland always has an open-door policy to all races and genders and this group will help us in spreading that message."
Anyone who would like to make suggestions to the Diversity Panel, or to Basketball Ireland, can do so by emailing diversity@basketballireland.ie
Issues of racism can be reported in confidence to
safeguarding@basketballireland.ie