News Article

Peace, Understanding & Cohesion Through Sport

24/07/2006

Former England rugby league star Ikram Butt knows how the power of sport can break down barriers.

And at the end of July he put his muscular frame behind a pilot sports scheme to build bridges among the young people of Beeston following the anniversary of the July 7 bombings.

Ikram, from Headingley, Leeds, was the first Asian to represent England at Rugby League, having played for Leeds and Featherstone Rovers.

In 2002 he co-founded the British Asian Rugby Association (BARA) to encourage more players from the ethnic minorities into the sport.

Now BARA, along with the Hamara Healthy Living Centre, is backing Youthwise, the Community In Action (CIA) Beeston campaign that encourages local children from black, white and Asian communities to get into sport together.

Ikram said: “I passionately believe that both codes of rugby and sport in general can be used to bridge divides, create positive role models and foster the ethnic of teamwork.

“These are values that we should encourage cross culturally and by doing so we’ll be creating more inclusive and unified communities and avoiding the tragic legacy of Beeston.”

CIA Beeston was set up by the Salford-based Youth Charter, founded by five-time world karate champion Geoff Thompson MBE.

The Youth Charter is a UN accredited charity which promotes the role and value of sport, arts and cultural activity in the lives of young people from disadvantaged communities.

Geoff said: “On July 7 last year I was in London and due to get on one of the tubes which were blown up by the July 7 bombers. My mother called me and I changed my mind and got a taxi instead.

“Having almost being a victim of the July 7 bombings I believe that I was destined to survive to get across my message.

“Using rugby, football and art-based programmes can address the alienation, marginalisation and disaffection that can lead to radicalised behaviour as was tragically the case just over year ago.”

In September, he will present a Youth Charter report on how long-term integration can be achieved in Beeston.