According to Ben Rumsby in the Telegraph today the chairman of Kick It Out launched a scathing attack on the country's new sports governance code on Tuesday, angrily accusing it of prioritising women over other under-represented groups.

Andy Reed said "Whenever we talk about governance it's never long before conversations turn to the 'targets and Quotas' issue. I wish we were in a position where it wasn't even an issue to be discussed but as we know women, BAME and people with a disability are still under represented in senior positions and in the boardroom. The question is how change is best achieved. I have always felt this should be about changing the culture with targets and quotas used where as a last resort. But they can and shuold be used if felt appropriate to make people take action not just say the fine words.

But the Code strikes a balance which clearly some people find baffling. What do Sports Think Tank readers think. Tweet, post comments here and on Linkedin to keep open the debate.

The Article says:

Lord Ouseley, the head of English football's anti-discrimination watchdog, reacted furiously to Monday's publication of "A Code for Sports Governance", which mandates UK Sport and Sport England to strip governing bodies such as the Football Association of public money unless they move to ensure at least 30 per cent of their boards are female.

The chairman of the Gay Football Supporters' Network was also "upset" at the singling out of women for special treatment ahead of LGBT and disabled people.

Government-appointed funding bodies UK Sport and Sport England, which wrote the code, were said on Monday to have had a "long discussion" about whether to impose a similar target for those groups, as well as consulting with 330 organisations including Kick It Out and those who campaign on behalf of other under-represented individuals.

The majority of feedback they received was said to indicate such targets were currently neither practical nor desirable, but that pressure should be applied on governing bodies to become more diverse from top to bottom, and the code should force them to publish an annual progress report.

But Ouseley branded that plan "pathetic", telling Telegraph Sport: "Quite frankly, the suggestion is, 'F--- ethnic minorities' – that's quite frankly where it's at – 'and disabled people'.

"When people talk about diversity, there is a need for more women to be seen to be progressing – and quite right that that is the case. But that is being seen as the priority and, therefore, everything else falls away. There is no equality amongst all the protected groups who should be considered for equal treatment."

Stressing he was speaking in a personal capacity, Ouseley, who quit the FA council in 2012 after accusing football of going backwards in tackling racism, claimed anger about the new code is widespread.

"There are lots of people across the sports spectrum that I've spoken to who are absolutely up in arms," he said, suggesting many were too frightened to speak out for fear of losing their jobs.

"I can protest, I can say things, but there are a lot of people who are s--- scared to talk and that is part of the problem."

Telegraph Sport has spoken to one senior figure within English football who shares Ouseley's sentiments but has declined to go public.

An "upset" GFSN chairman, Ed Connell, was prepared to speak out, saying of the code: "It simply doesn't seem to make any sense. It looks as though you're deciding there are certain groups which need greater protection than others.

"We must be working towards having diverse governing bodies in sport full stop."

Level Playing Field, which campaigns within sport on behalf of disabled people, declined to comment.

Monday's publication of the code, which goes further than equivalent codes in other sectors in terms of promoting diversity, was welcomed by the chairman of equality campaigners Sporting Equals, Densign White.

"There is an expectation within the code that sports organisations will widen their recruitment pool to attract professional applicants with broad-ranging skills, experience and networks that organisations are in need of, thus, increasing the diversity of thought within an organisation," he said.

"Diversity is truly the golden thread that runs through the code, giving opportunities to black, Asian and minority ethnic individuals who will be able to compete on a level playing field for non-executive board positions."

The requirement for sports governing bodies to move to ensure 30 per cent of their boards are female was imposed after they failed to meet a voluntary 25 per cent target set in 2013.