Anti-Racism Project

Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is embarking on an Anti-Racism Project that will help to shed light on members’ experiences with racism.

The information collected will support the identification and refinement of strategies to advance efforts to help make the OUA an inclusive and safe community where all people, regardless of race or other socially-determined circumstances, have equal opportunities to achieve their full potential for health, well-being, and academic and athletic success.

The research project will be facilitated by the Indigeneity, Diaspora, Equity, and Anti-Racism in Sport (IDEAS) Research Lab out of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education.

This project is largely inspired by the experiences and recommendations of the Black, Biracial, and Indigenous (BBI) Task Force of the OUA, who have collected anecdotal evidence about racial inequities across U SPORTS. To date, there are few studies documenting the experiences of racism and anti-racism for university student-athletes, coaches, and sport administrators in Ontario or throughout Canada.

The robust research project will strive to answer four main questions for student-athletes, coaches, and sport administrators, which are:

  1. What are the racial demographics of the OUA membership?
  2. How is racism and anti-racism perceived and experienced in the Black, Biracial, and Indigenous sport communities on university campuses?
  3. What role do post-secondary educational institutions play in racism and anti-racism experiences in sport?
  4. How can anti-racism be improved in the sport community at the post-secondary educational institutional level?

The aim of this research project is to create and disseminate knowledge about the demographics and experiences of student-athletes, coaches, and sport administrators, and to make recommendations on anti-racism policies, practices, and trainings within the OUA.

This project also aims to help Black, Biracial, and Indigenous student-athletes increase their capacity to navigate and negotiate their education. Furthermore, it will look to help improve their potential to advance within the sport industry in coaching and/or administrative positions.

Overall, this project will advance research that sits at the intersection of anti-racism, sport, and education. The outcomes of this research have the potential to transform the demographics and experiences of student-athletes, coaches, and sport administrators in Ontario and throughout Canada. Ultimately, this research will help lead to greater athletic, leadership, and academic achievements and improved overall wellness.

Q1. If I was a student athlete, coach or sport administrator last year in the OUA, can I still fill out the questionnaire?
A1. Yes! The IDEAS Research Lab will accept folks who were connected to the OUA any time after September 1, 2019.

Q2. How long will the questionnaire take to fill out?
A2. Approximately 10-15 minutes

Q3. How can you ensure that the information I provide is anonymous? Will my coach, other student-athletes or staff in the athletic department have access to my answers?
A3. The OUA Anti-Racism project must follow University of Toronto ethical research protocol that protects the identity of the participants. No information will be shared with ANYONE without your permission. The information collected WILL NOT be linked to your name. 

Q4. In the questionnaire, I selected that I wanted to participate in a focus group or interview – what happens next?
A4. In March 2021, we will contact all individuals who indicated interest in participating in an interview and/or focus group. Please note that you will be compensated $20 for your time for an interview only; however, your insights will also be valuable for our focus groups.

Q5. What do you plan on doing with all of this information? How can you guarantee anything will change?
A5. We are working directly with each university not only to recruit participants for the project, but also to increase capacity to address anti-racism on campus. The OUA has invested in this research and is already making changes. We hope to use your recommendations to leverage existing supports as well as provide necessary information to improve overall experiences within OUA athletics.

Q6. Who exactly should fill out the questionnaire?
A6. We recognize that each university has a unique classification system for their teams and/or athletes. Despite our efforts to publicize that this study is specific to OUA sports, we are not dissuading any student-athlete, coach, or sport administrator from filling out the survey. The IDEAS Lab has the ability to aggregate the data to reflect OUA sports and recognize that within each cohort, the contributions of those who fall outside of the OUA umbrella are still valuable.

Q7. I'm white, should I fill out the questionnaire?
A7. The answer is YES! Absolutely, this project needs your voice. In order for the OUA to understand issues related to race and racism, captuing the experiences of different identities will greatly inform how we can, together, move forward in our anti-racism efforts.

Q8. I'm an assistant coach, volunteer coach, physiotherapist, fitness trainer, sports, or psychologist, should I fill out the questionnaire?
A8. Yes. We want to ensure the experiences and demographics of every coach that has direct contact with student-athletes are captured.

Q9. How do I contact the researchers if I have any questions about the project or want to get involved further?
A9. Please contact Sabrina via email: sabrina.razack@mail.utoronto.ca, response time is within 24 hours.

To get involved in the OUA Anti-Racism Project, you can:

  1. Fill in a questionnaire.
  2. Become a student-athlete liaison for the project at your university.
  3. Get involved in an interview or focus group (contact Sabrina Razack (sabrina.razack@mail.utoronto.ca) at the IDEAS Lab for more)

*This project is approved by the University of Toronto Research Ethics Board.