Diverse committee to tackle discrimination in Dutch football

At the initiative of football association KNVB and the government, a committee was established to advise on how to combat racism and discrimination and promote inclusivity in football. The Mijnals committee was named after Humphrey Mijnals, the first person of Surinamese descent to play for Oranje, NOS reports.

Women and ethnically diverse people are underrepresented in football boards and in football clubs' technical staff. The goal of the Mijnals committee is to change this so that football becomes a better reflection of society.

The Mijnals committee consists of former football player Ruud Gullit, television presenter Humberto Tan, Arnhem mayor Ahmed Marcouch, former football player Daphne Koster, ODIN'59 chairman Jacinta Lieuwes, professor Marjan Olfers, agent Robert Geerlings, and former KNVB guest trainer Jeroen Visscher. The committee will meet four times a year and advise the government and KNVB on how to realize changes in the sport. This will be done in close consultation with the KNVB's new anti-racism manager Houssin Bezzai.

The committee is part of the KNVB's plan of attack against racism and discrimination in football. This plan was made with the government after racial slurs were chanted at Excelsior player Ahmad Mendes Moreira by FC Den Bosch in November last year.