STERLING CALL TO ARMS
England forward leads campaign urging Government to act on diversity in sport
RAHEEM STERLING is fronting a campaign to urge the Government to improve diversity in football. The Manchester City forward is joined by nine of the sport’s most high-profile figures, from Gary Lineker and Lucy Bronze to Jordan Henderson and Vincent Kompany, asking parliament to force sporting bodies to have more BAME representation at board level.
RaHeeM Sterling is spearheading a social media campaign to demand the Government intervene to improve diversity in football.
On the eve of the Premier league’s Project Restart, Sterling, joined by high- profile figures including liverpool pair Jordan Henderson and alex OxladeChamberlain, Jadon Sancho, Kevin De Bruyne, Vincent Kompany and lucy Bronze, issued a powerful video imploring politicians to take a stand against the lack of diversity in UK sport.
The campaign uses the hashtag #TimeForChange.
Sportsmail understands the timing of the video’s release was deliberate with Premier league games resuming tonight.
The Manchester City star hopes the message will kickstart a process of permanent changes to ensure diversity is improved in sport and society. Sterling was infuriated this week after he discovered there are just three black men on the boards of the 13 leading sports bodies in the UK.
He is determined to use the new initiative to drive change.
Former england striker Gary lineker, Bayern Munich star David alaba and ex-Manchester City full back Gael Clichy have also backed Sterling’s campaign.
In the video the 10 people, who have a combined social media following of 60million, say they are tired of social inequality, discrimination, protesting, no one listening, asking for change and seeing black men die.
It ends with Sterling saying ‘but I will never tire of being black’.
In an interview with Sky Sports aired yesterday, Sterling said: ‘I feel like I speak for most black people and everyone is tired. With the protesting that is going on, you see what is happening in america transferring to the UK.
‘This is a moment to try to get not just answers but changes to society. People like myself have a platform to try to get these messages into the right places and have these conversations that can spark change.
‘I’m not someone with the most ideas in the world or know exactly what to do, but we just have to highlight these things that people are facing in everyday aspects of their lives.
‘It is something that is coming up a lot more, which is a good thing. I truly believe that now is the time we have to act. I am doing my bit behind the scenes.’
Sterling has been on the receiving end of abuse from fans but revealed that it has not been confined to the stands in the past. He spoke about team-mates even making ill-judged comments in the dressing room.
‘Yes, sly remarks for sure. It goes on today,’ he said.