Mesut Özil has started a center in Bradford aimed at breaking down barriers that prevent the South Asian community from engaging in high performance sport. Called “The Football for Peace Mesut Özil Center”, the structure will be housed at the University of Bradford and benefits from the support of Bradford City and the Federation.
While Britain’s Afro-Caribbean population is well represented in elite sport and particularly football, Britons of Asian descent are under-represented with only fifteen footballers of South Asian descent among the 4,000 players. professionals.
“I myself come from a diverse ethnic background and I understand the challenges to be met”
« I have always been amazed that the South Asian community is only allowed to be a football fan. Why don’t we see more players or coaches going professional?, pointed out the former midfielder of Real Madrid and Arsenal. I want to put them forward, give them the opportunity to succeed on and off the pitch. I myself come from a diverse ethnic background and understand the challenges. “The Bradford center will host football and” life skills At the Bradford City training ground.
According to the organization British Asians in Sport and Physical Activity (BASPA), the lack of representation in elite sport of a community which represents 6.9% of the British population is ” amazing With outdated stereotypes part of the problem.
« While other ethnically diverse communities manage to find their way into high performance sport, the British South Asian community is often overlooked., said Manisha Tailor, BASPA vice president for training. There is also a lot of misinformation and outdated stereotypes about our community which has created subconscious prejudices about our energy and our passion for sports that are not just cricket or hockey. »
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