SUPERWOMAN! JESSICA ENNIS
I CANNOT believe another year has come and gone! It has flown by!! And I strongly believe the black community has once again taken steps forward, both as leading sportspeople and, perhaps more importantly, as leaders in sport.
There have been many sporting highlights – from Lewis Hamilton securing another F1 title to Mo Farah doing yet another double at the World Athletics Championships.
Away from the action, the Sports People’s Think Tank has continued to lobby the football family on the lack of black managers and coaches in the professional game, while in track and field, Jason Gardner has become President of UK Athletics and Donna Fraser has taken on the role of Vice President. It was also fantastic to see former Olympic champion, Denise Lewis, named as the new President of Commonwealth Games England.
In short – the black community is not only growing in stature on the fields, tracks and in the ring, but also within the ranks as administrators and decision makers.
But those who regularly read this column will know I am not one to jump the gun. We have a long, long way to go… the bigger picture starkly outlines our representation at sport’s top tables in nowhere near what it should be. However, I feel we must celebrate success as a way of finding motivation to continue the fight and also highlight our leaders to inspire others to follow.
So to shine a light on our successes, I’ve had a crack at naming a man and woman of 2015. Here goes…
WOMAN OF THE YEAR
The prominence of women in sport continues to grow and quite frankly it’s about bloody time!!
Many black women had a sensational 2015. Olympic champion Nicola Adams MBE won another title in women’s boxing at the European Games in Baku, Eni Aluko secured a stunning League and FA Cup double with Chelsea Ladies, Ellie and Becky Downie both continued to make waves in gymnastics and sprinter Dina Asher Smith shone brightly in athletics for GB. I could go on…
However, my woman of the year is Jessica Ennis-Hill.
Jessica was the golden girl of the London Olympics in 2012. She won the nations heart with her incredible gold medal in the heptathlon. The moment she crossed the line and extended her arms to the sky will be replayed long after we have all left this earth.
What is unlikely to be replayed as extensively is her triumph in the World Athletics Championships heptathlon this year. Well, it’s not an Olympics – so therefore doesn’t carry the same importance – you may say. Which is a very fair point – but the story behind her victory is super special.
For Jess to have a baby – Reggie – and return to top level athletics and compete with the best athletes on the planet, is a huge achievement in itself. So to return and whoop the best athletes on the planet and take the gold – is on a next level!
Looking after a baby is hard, hard work, as many reading this will testify. Looking after a baby and becoming a world champion is insane. So take a bow Jess… you are my woman of the year and you can add Mum of the year to that too!
MAN OF THE YEAR
Once again I had a long short list here! A few stand outs included:
Lewis Hamilton for yet another F1 title. Mo Farah for another double gold medal winning World Athletics Championships.
Ashley Williams for leading Wales to Euro2016. Louis Smith for his pivotal role in GB gymnastics sensational rise. Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink for his great success with Burton Albion.
But I decided to big up someone who recently retired and has been working away from the spotlight for our community.
Jason Roberts MBE gets my vote.
JASON ROBERTS MBE WITH CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AWARD
The former Blackburn Rovers and Reading striker is a key voice for our community on issues of race in sport – who never shies away from offering a strong view when needed, regardless of how difficult that may be to swallow for many in football, “who don’t see colour”.
Roberts is a founding member of the Sports People’s Think Tank – and just a few months ago presented the findings of a second academic paper on the lack of black coaches and managers at the elite level by the group, to politicians and high ranking football administrators at the Houses of Parliament.
The Grenada international has also been involved in the FIFA anti-racism taskforce as a consultant and supported the Football Against Racism in Europe network regularly.
This year his charity, the Jason Roberts Foundation, has delivered some fantastic life changing work both here in the UK and in his beloved Grenada.
Key achievements include taking a Grenada team to the Homeless World Cup in Amsterdam, securing funding to deliver important work with young people in Brent – the London Borough he grew up in, and launching a football initiative to help youngsters find employment and training opportunities. The Foundation has also been working hard in disability sport alongside The Golf Trust.
Roberts is active – and that is why I had to highlight him. He is not working for himself, he is working for his community – and that is worth celebrating.
MY WISH FOR 2016
Next year is going to be a huge year for sport. The European Championships take place in June and July, before the Rio Olympics dominate our viewing in August!
I hope, and believe, we will see the very best of sport next year and I am very excited about being a part of some of those moments, in my capacity as a broadcaster and also as a fan.
My wish for 2016 is that while we are enjoying the big sporting moments that behind the scenes we transform the composition of decision makers in sport.
2015 will be remembered for FIFA and IAAF scandals – largely caused by groups of men in suits letting greed consume them. 2016 has to be the year that the boards of the bodies running sports, and indeed clubs, begin to reflect those playing sport and the communities they operate within.
When the Voice of Sport’s Rodney Hinds and I first spoke about putting together a list of the most influential black people in football, we had no idea it would develop to become a widely respected initiative recognised by the football family and communities across the country.
