Mr Jeffery Hinds v British Boxing Board of Control Limited — 2024

Mr Jeffery Hinds, a boxing referee licensed by the British Boxing Board of Control, brought direct race discrimination and victimisation claims under the Equality Act 2010 in relation to the respondent's decision of 17 July 2020, later confirmed by the full Board on 11 November 2020, that he would not be appointed to future tournaments while litigation against the Board was ongoing.

The tribunal accepted that the claimant's statement at the 4 September 2019 Southern Area Council meeting amounted to a protected act for section 27 purposes, even though the statement did not expressly refer to race discrimination or the Equality Act. It found, however, that the claimant continued to be appointed to referee bouts after that meeting and that the later decision was taken after legal advice, from a choice of options, in response to the defamation proceedings he had brought, rather than because of the protected act.

The direct race discrimination claim also failed. Applying Shamoon, the tribunal concluded that the reason for the treatment was the claimant's defamation proceedings, not his race; it noted the Board's concerns that the ongoing litigation might affect his judgment and performance and its view that it was entitled to take account of those concerns and the inherent dangers of boxing.

The judgment dismisses both complaints and does not record any monetary award.