- Saturday, April 27, 2024
By: Sattwik Biswal
YAN DHANDA always wanted to make a difference for the upcoming British South Asian footballers, and now being part of the Kick It Out Player Advisory Group – will give him that opportunity.
He along with other British South Asian footballers such as Mal Benning and Anwar Uddin are part of the 11-strong diverse advisory group.
Moreover, in his new role at Kick It Out, the Swansea midfielder is confident of helping out British South Asians involved in football.
The 22-year-old already an influential South Asian footballer at the top level is now keen to make an impact to the game by joining Kick It Out’s advisory group – which would be chaired by head of player engagement Troy Townsend, alongside former PFA chairman Clarke Carlisle.
UK currently has less than a dozen professionally contracted South Asian footballers, now with Dhanda and others being a part, Kick It Out are creating a South Asian Action Group to address the issue.
Dhanda told Sky Sports News: “My main aim is to empower young South Asian players coming up behind me that want to make it in the professional game.
“When I had the opportunity to join Kick It Out’s Advisory Board I jumped at it. I want to use this platform to achieve positive change, and by working together we can definitely do this.”
In February following Swansea’s 3-1 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City, Dhanda was targeted with racist abuse online. Fellow Punjabi footballer Mal Benning had immediately reached out to Dhanda, who is also part of the advisory group and wants to work towards making a change for South Asian footballers.
“I just want to see change,” Benning was quoted as saying.
“I have experienced racial abuse online and Kick It Out were the first ones there to help me out with it and I feel by joining them I can help anyone from a South Asian background in the future.”
The first British-Bangladeshi to play professionally in England, Anwar Uddin, also part of the advisory group, and now assistant manager to Danny Searle at Aldershot, added: “At times as a young player you sometimes feel isolated, you feel like a bit of a circus act because there are so few British Asians that play football. To be able to have the support and that guidance is really important.”
