Discrimination against immigrant athletes prevalent in sports
Published on 24 November 2012 in
<
http://www.yementimes.com/en/1627/report/> Report
<javascript:void(0)> Ahmed Dawood (author)
In a small cafeteria in the heart of Sana'a, dozens of African immigrants
and refugees, mostly from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia gather to
talk about famous soccer players and international sports competitions,
which is a big part of their native culture.
The media often reports on newly-arrived immigrants' struggle to assimilate
into local culture or find work in Yemen but these marginalized populations
are also fighting a battle to gain ground in the field of athletics, an area
that usually bridges cultural divides.
However, many African immigrants report unprecedented discrimination when
participating in local soccer matches.
"I try to get closer to Yemenis and play with them particularly in lanes.
Some welcome me and allow me to take part. However, sometimes, I quarrel
with them. Thus, I am subject to insults and discrimination. They say
derogatory comments and words that psychologically hurt me, causing me not
to play with them again," said Faisel Ahmed, a Somalian refugee.
Others say it remains incredibly difficult for Africans to enroll in or be
recruited to local sport clubs.
Qosai Al-Basheer, an immigrant from Sudan, said he has wanted to join a club
for a while, but is unable to because most clubs only accept Yemenis. He
also says others like him have passed tryouts for teams, but are ultimately
denied membership.
As a result many immigrants have sought to find places that are specifically
established to allow them the opportunity to participate in athletics.
The Technical Chinese Institute has provided an opportunity for athletically
inclined immigrants like Asjad Majoor, a young Eritrean.
"The institute allows us to play football once a week on Friday," he said.
However, it comes at a hefty cost. Majoor and friends pay YR 1,500 every
time they rent the space, an amount that they often cannot afford.
Majoor says rental space is not the only financial obstacle preventing
immigrants from participating in sports, the cost of sporting clothes and
shoes is very steep as well. A potential sport-induced injury also excludes
some from participating because of the possibility of an unaffordable doctor
bill.
Humanitarian organizations ignore sports
Although there are several humanitarian organizations that care for refugees
and immigrants in Yemen, they concentrate on providing education and health
services but usually lack the funds to promote sports.
Khadra Ali, child protection officer at IDV organization, said that sports
are vital for refugees and immigrants in Yemen. They can assist with
integration and the elimination of racial discrimination.
"The problem is that refugees in Yemen love to practice sport, but they
aren't able to join sport clubs and also don't know how to do so," she said.
She also said she often receives complaints from African children saying
that they are both physically and verbally assaulted by Yemenis during
games, causing a tense relationship between the two groups.
Another advantage of promoting athletics according to Ali is that it reduces
the likelihood of someone using qat.
Uncovered talents
There are many talented African athletes in Yemen. For instance, Sami
Yalma was once a famous athlete in Ethiopia that was forced out due to
political circumstances.
Since arriving in Yemen, he has tried to work with the Ministry of Youth and
Sport in Sana'a to showcase his talent.
"Were I to participate in the name of Yemen, I would have won a gold medal
in weight lifting," said Yalma, who trained 86 junior athletes before the
2011 uprising, but has since stopped.
Currently, Yalma is searching for support to help establish clubs and
stadiums as a way to positively involve refugees like him in Yemen.
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Received on Sat Nov 24 2012 - 07:17:40 EST
