Dr Michael Wardlow

Lewis Crocker, 21, was supported by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland in taking the case after he was not selected to represent Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa in 2015.

Mr Crocker, at the time a very successful amateur boxer with seven Irish titles and other significant achievements, believed he was not selected because his community background was Protestant.

He had contested at the World Championships and two European Championships and been honoured at other international contests.

Mr Crocker was boxing with the Holy Trinity Boxing Club in Belfast’s Turf Lodge, a predominantly Catholic area, but his community background, which is Protestant, was well known within the boxing community.

He finished top in tests carried out at a high performance camp at the Sports Institute for Northern Ireland in 2015. His name was then put forward by the Irish Amateur Boxing Association’s high performance head coach for Ulster to the UBC as part of the suggested Northern Ireland team for the Commonwealth Youth Games.

The UBC did not select Mr Crocker for the team, despite his recommendation by the head coach. He believes that all those selected for the team were Catholic.

Chief Commissioner Dr Michael Wardlow said: “Fairness and impartiality should be at the heart of the governance and administration of any sport. There certainly should never be any suggestion of a person’s religious or community background being a consideration for team selection. The circumstances of this case left Lewis Crocker convinced that he had been unfairly treated, and that his community background was the reason.

“The Equality Commission assisted Lewis in taking this case under the Fair Employment and Treatment Order, which protects people from discrimination on grounds of religious belief and political opinion.

“The UBC has acknowledged the hurt, distress and upset suffered by Lewis by reason of its refusal to select him as a member of the five person team to attend the Commonwealth Youth Games 2015 in Samoa.

“It also affirms its commitment to the principles of equality of opportunity and to ensuring that it complies in all respects with its obligations under national and European equality law and has undertaken to ensure that its officers and members are aware of these obligations.

“Since the bringing of these proceedings, it has introduced new policies, practices and procedures to ensure compliance in all respects with its obligations.”