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Sky Sports has celebrated the anniversary of its partnership with Sporting Equals by creating the first timeline documenting the modern history of South Asian women players in the English game.
Marking the evolution of women’s football in the Women’s Super League era, the timeline highlights 20 current and former players from South Asian backgrounds who have paved the way for the game in various leagues across England.
Chelsea forward Sam Kerr, Manchester United and Wales goalkeeper Safia Middleton-Patel (on loan at Coventry United), and former West Ham and Watford winger Rosie Kmita are among the players whose achievements are celebrated on the timeline.
Sam Kerr, who has an Indian grandmother, was named the Barclays FA Women’s Super League Player of the Season last season.
The timeline has been set by Sky Sports journalist and FA Level 2 scout Dev Trehan, and is part of a wider view put on by Sporting Equals which also shows four role models from Britain’s South Asian community who are currently plying their trade in the women’s game.
Following a successful new pilot, the exhibition will be officially launched at the Race Equality: State of the Sector event at Stamford Bridge on 23 March. go on tour.
The four players on display are FA Women’s Championship footballer Millie Chandarana (Blackburn Rovers), Simran Jhamat (Coventry United), FA Women’s National League player Kira Rai (Derby County) and Mariam Mahmood (West Bromwich Albion).
Sky Sports’ Dev Trehan said: “Creating a timeline and highlighting these incredible female role models is a huge step forward for women’s football as well as the South Asian community.
“I am very grateful to the players and their families, the clubs and coaches, and people in football and the wider community, including Sky and Sporting Equals, for their support in helping to make this project possible.
“Documenting the journey of a female player of South Asian heritage in the modern English game has historical significance and cultural significance, an authentic legacy for current and future generations.”
West Bromwich Albion striker Mariam Mahmood said: “It’s an honor to be featured on the timeline and to have my story featured in this way.
“Education and bridging the gap in knowledge about South Asians in football remains a key issue. Our stories are important and we hope to raise positive awareness and encourage more children – especially girls from South Asian backgrounds – to take the game and enjoy playing football.”
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Brentford councilor Preeti Shetty told Sky Sports News she hopes her appointment offers South Asian women hope that they can be whatever they want to be.
The Lionesses captured the hearts and minds of the nation when they lifted the Women’s Euros last summer, but their victory fueled a debate over diversity at the end of the game after England fielded an all-white starting XI for every match of the tournament.
Current and former players Eni Aluko, Lianne Sanderson and Courtney Sweetman-Kirk have all spoken to Sky Sports News about the lack of ethnic diversity, with Chelsea manager Emma Hayes recently adding that women’s football is “quite average” in his opinion.
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Sheffield United’s Courtney Sweetman-Kirk has called for urgent action to tackle the lack of diversity in the women’s game.
According to the PFA (2022) only 9.7 percent of footballers at the elite level of the women’s game are from different ethnic backgrounds. British South Asians are the largest single-ethnic minority group in the country, but only 0.6 per cent of players in the Women’s Super League are from the community, despite the worldwide success of the 2002 film. ‘Bend It Like Beckham’, based on an English footballer of South Asian background.
Sky partnered with national sports equality charity Sporting Equals last year through a shared desire to help tackle under-representation by tackling some of the barriers affecting the participation and progression of UK South Asian football talent, particularly in the women’s game.
Blackburn Rovers midfielder Millie Chandarana said: “This is a very important project, documenting progress and helping to change the narrative. Now we can see all the great things these girls have achieved and continue to achieve, and it’s great to be a small part of it.
“We hope to inspire more, to show that a career in football is possible for women from the South Asian community.”
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Derby County Women’s winger Kira Rai says overcoming the odds to make football makes the journey sweeter.
Derby County winger Kira Rai said: “To showcase some of the wonderful South Asian women as part of the history of the English women’s game is a huge source of pride for me, my family and my football club.
“We know that women’s football is not as diverse as we want it to be, and I want to play a role in helping to change that. I hope that this will inspire the next generation and give talented girls like I believe they are can also create. game.”
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Sporting Equals chief executive Arun Kang said helping elite South Asian women footballers succeed would inspire the next generation of players from the community.
Sporting Equals CEO Arun Kang OBE said: “This exhibition is an inspiration, showing that women of South Asian heritage have a place in the game and can achieve anything. There has been great progress in women’s football, but this community has been overlooked.
“We are proud to partner with Sky Sports to grow the national game and are delighted to launch the first ever performance of a female footballer of South Asian heritage at the Race Equality event at Chelsea Football Club.”
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Bristol City Women’s striker Simran Jhamat is the ‘flag bearer’ for England’s South Asians who dream of making the game, Charlton coach Riteesh Mishra has said.
Coventry United striker Simran Jhamat said: “It’s great to be involved in this legacy project. Seeing is believing – and I hope it inspires children and parents alike.
“We all want to see more South Asian players coming, so we can be sure when we say that it doesn’t matter what your race or religion is and football is for everyone. Nothing is easy in this industry and all players. Featured have worked hard to get anywhere.”
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Manisha Tailor MBE says more work needs to be done to improve diversity in girls’ and elite women’s football.
Chairperson of the Muslim Women Sports Association (MSA) and FA National Games Council member Yashmin Harun said: “It is very important to understand the history of South Asian women players in the game and reflect on their journey so that we can get to where we want to make elite women’s football more diverse and representative of the nation.
“These inspiring women are great role models, who changed the way we look at the game and paved the way for the next generation to develop. .”
English South Asia in football
For more stories, features and videos, visit the South Asia in Football breakthrough page on skysports.com and the South Asia in Games blog and stay tuned to Sky Sports News and our Sky Sports digital platform.
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