Racism Bears star and medic tells of abuse on night out
For two people who don’t know anything about me to just see me, see my skin tone and think that gave them the right to insult me, to be racist towards me, to attack me, to hit me, just blows my mind
ABRISTOL rugby star broke down as she recounted a racist attack from a couple on a night out.
Simi Pam, an NHS doctor who represented England in athletics before switching to rugby and plays for Bristol Bears, spoke out in a video message shared by her club.
The 26-year-old was racially abused and attacked by a woman, whose partner then tried to punch her on a night out in London in May.
“It’s something that I never, ever thought would happen,” she said during the candid video. “I’ve lived in this country since I was three, I’ve been raised here.”
She recorded the video as part of Black History Month.
Simi explained how she encounters racism “at least weekly”, and she was determined to help create a society where Black people felt safe, welcomed and loved.
“Black History Month is so important because we have to celebrate the Black people who have made this country what it is,” she said. “Black History is something that I’m really passionate about celebrating and talking about and racism is something that I talk about very openly, because it’s something that affects me – maybe not every day then at least weekly. Racism is something that I have to contend with.
“Racism comes in all shapes and sizes. It comes in the more subtle remarks or assumptions based on the skin colour, but it’s also affected me when I was on a night out.
“I was on a night out with some friends, and a couple tried to speak to me. I didn’t particularly want to talk to them because I was just trying to enjoy my night out with my friends.
“And for whatever reason they felt they could insult me and thought that they could use my race as something to hold me down with, so they called me a Black **** , told me to go back to where I came from, and...” she said, breaking down as she recalled the experience.
“A grown man tried to punch me, even though he heard some of the racist things that his partner was saying,” she said.
“It’s just something that I never ever thought would happen.
“I’m so proud to be British, I’m so proud to be Nigerian, and I just love both sides of myself. I love the fact that I have two cultures to draw from, and that makes me who I am.
“I love the fact that I work for the NHS. I love the fact that I have represented England in athletics before, and I love the fact that I have got aspirations to represent England in rugby.
“So for two people who don’t know anything about me to just see me, see my skin tone and think that gave them the right to insult me, to be racist towards me, to attack me, to hit me, just blows my mind.”
Bristol Bears shared an extract of the five-minute video on their social media and urged people to watch the whole recording, on Simi’s Instagram page.