The new policy provides free training spaces to clubs to allow them to prepare for competition, but if a club is not competing they must pay a per-hour room hire fee. Kevin Yap, from the Kung Fu Club, says that policy discriminated against Asian students because the clubs they more commonly joined, such as the Kung Fu Club, did not engage in many competitions.

''The clubs that are favoured are more local students. The rugby club, the boating club, cricket and AFL, whereas other clubs have a higher rate of international students especially among the Asians,'' he said.

''Is there actually a racial motivation behind it? As much as I want to say there probably isn't, it's very hard for me to overlook this coincidence.

''The international students' participation in the clubs that are better off, not only is it low, but in fact it is much harder for us to get in there so I have to say there is possibly racial discrimination in there.''

In a submission to the Human Rights Commission lodged last Friday, Mr Yap says the clubs that predominantly benefit from free room hire for competition preparation have few members of Asian backgrounds.