Black and Asian Athletes in British Sport and Society: A Sporting Chance?

226 Pages·2003·1.252 MB·English

by  Patrick Ismond (auth.)

Black and Asian Athletes
in British Sport and
Society
A Sporting Chance?
Patrick Ismond
Black and Asian Athletes in British Sport and Society
This page intentionally left blank
Black and Asian Athletes
in British Sport and
Society
A Sporting Chance?
Patrick Ismond
© Patrick Ismond 2003
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2003 978-0-333-92061-9
All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this
publication may be made without written permission.
No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted
save with written permission or inaccordance with the provisions of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence
permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency,
90Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4LP.
Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication
maybe liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
The author has asserted his right to be identified as
the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988.
First published 2003 by
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN
Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS and
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010
Companies and representatives throughout the world
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN is the global academic imprint of the Palgrave
Macmillan division of St. Martin’s Press, LLC and of Palgrave Macmillan Ltd.
Macmillan® is a registered trademark in the United States, United Kingdom
and other countries. Palgrave is a registered trademark in the European
Unionandother countries.
ISBN 978-1-349-42460-3 ISBN 978-0-230-51090-6 (eBook)
DOI 10.1057/978-0-230-51090-6
This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully
managed and sustained forest sources.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ismond, Patrick.
Black and Asian athletes in British sport and society:a sporting
chance?/Patrick Ismond.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Racism in sports—Great Britain. 2. Sex discrimination in
sports—GreatBritain. 3. Sports—Social aspects —Great Britain.
4. Great Britain—Race relations I. Title.
GV706.32.I84 2003
796(cid:2).089—dc21
2003041435
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03
To my family, and to the ‘dorsal-finned Stobbider’
This page intentionally left blank
Contents
List of Figures viii
Acknowledgements ix
Notes on the Interviewees x
Introduction: a Sporting Chance? xiii
Part I ‘Race’ and Male Sport 1
1 Understanding ‘Race’ and Sport 3
2 British Minority Ethnic Groups, Sport and Society 23
3 Sporting Beginnings 55
4 Sport in the Later Years 91
Part II ‘Race’, Gender and Sport 125
5 Women and Sport 127
6 Interviews with Black and Asian Sportswomen 143
Conclusion 183
Bibliography 188
Index 197
vii
List of Figures
3.1 Cyrille Regis (Photo courtesy of Action Rewind
Photography) 56
3.2 Jason Gardener (Photo courtesy of Mark Shearman) 57
3.3 Garth Crooks (Photo courtesy of BBC Press Office) 58
3.4 Gurbinder Singh (Photo courtesy of Darren Holloway) 60
3.5 Chris Sanigar 61
3.6 Paul Hull (Photo courtesy of Bristol United Press) 63
3.7 David Lawrence (Photo courtesy of Bristol United Press) 72
3.8 Sean Viera 77
3.9 Martin Offiah (Photo courtesy of Wigan Observer) 82
3.10 Zia Haque 89
4.1 Viv Anderson (Photo courtesy of Middlesbrough
Football Club) 112
6.1 Joice Maduaka, front (Photo courtesy of Mark Shearman) 144
6.2 Azmina Mitha, left 154
6.3 Ivy Alexander 164
6.4 Myra Barretto 174
viii
Acknowledgements
Many people have helped me in my journey to finish this book. I thank
the fifteen athletes for trusting me enough to share their honest, con-
sidered, and at times inspiring views about the issues raised here.
Without their contributions, the study would be so much the less.
Throughout the time it has taken me to produce this book, I was also
fortunate to receive the intellectual and emotional support of friends,
colleagues and associates. I thank Ellis Cashmore, John Solomos, Stuart
Allan, Jo Haynes and Judith Ramsden for looking at and commenting
on early drafts of chapters; and Terry Henry, Jason Pegg and Jo Hopkins
for commenting on later chapters. In particular, my heartfelt thanks go
to Mark Taylor, whose insights and suggestions about the entire manu-
script helped to formulate my ideas. I also owe a debt of gratitude to
Jon Garland, in his role as prepublication reviewer, for helpful com-
ments on the manuscript. My task of researching historical infor-
mation was made so much easier by extremely helpful librarians. You
are too many to mention, but special thanks must go to Ann Collings
at Leicester University. You saved me at the last. I thank Karen Brazier,
formerly of Palgrave Macmillan, for showing faith in the project in the
first place, and also Jennifer Nelson for her advice and support. I also
thank the team-mates who have played inside, outside and upfront of
me during many never-say-die football matches. This ‘community’
contains people who have cajoled and supported me through fireside
conversations about the subject of racism and sport, and helped me to
persevere with the project. They are my closest friends. A special thanks
to Billy Clay, Frank D’Arcy and Joel Samuels. Of course, the final
responsibility for what remains is mine.
My biggest personal debt is to Jo Hopkins, without whose under-
standing and support, this book would not have been completed.
ix