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Perceptions & Experiences of Rugby League: Asian Muslim young people Acknowledgements The RFL would like to acknowledge our thanks to the following people and organisations: • Young people from Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield and Oldham who gave up their time to take part in this research and share their experiences and perceptions of Rugby League. • Community leaders from Hamara Leeds, Khidmat Centre Bradford, Pakistani Youth Forum, Huddersfield and Greenhill Sport Club Oldham, for their support and efforts to ensure that young people from their communities were able to attend each session. • Sporting Equals. • Cliff Simms (Sporting Equals), Stan Timmins (Phd Researcher at Leeds Met) Arvinder Kaur (RFL coaching department) Starr Zaman (Hamara and Communities project). • Hamara, Beeston Leeds. Thank you for your time, energy, support and thoughts - your contributions have resulted in the following findings and recommendations which will be disseminated throughout Rugby League, to the communities that took part, via Sporting Equals networks and will form part of a research paper by Stan Timmins on Racism in Rugby League. Many thanks Sarah Williams Equality and Diversity Manager RFL 2 Acknowledgements Foreword It gives me great pleasure to write a foreword to The RFL has made a commitment to replicate this research with other BME this practical and influential piece of research and faith communities. into the perceptions and experiences of young The constructive findings and conclusions found within this document will Muslims in relation to Rugby League. only serve to cement this reputation and provide the Rugby League family Our sport has long been a leader when it comes to with a firm footing for progress in expanding the scope of and participation breaking down barriers and providing opportunities in our sport. for minority groups. It is a tradition based on being in I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Sporting Equals for all the tune with, and at the very heart of, the communities help and support they have given us. We are delighted that Sporting Equals in which we operate. recognise this initiative as a model of good practice. From Jimmy Cumberbatch of Broughton Rangers, who became the first black player to represent England at RL in 1937 through to Ikram Butt, the first Asian player to pull on an England shirt in any code of football in 1995, Rugby League has always led the way in reflecting our society at large. Names such as Ellery Hanley, Clive Sullivan and Alec Givvons, who became the first black man to coach a British professional sports side when he took Richard Lewis over as coach of Oldham A in 1949, are just a few more inspirational examples RFL Chairman of how Rugby League has led the way in opening up our sport. Sporting Equals are delighted to be working in As a sport they continue to lead the way and are a great example for partnership with the RFL, who have shown and what can be achieved if there is a desire to be inclusive. This project has demonstrated their commitment to addressing illustrated how sport can be utilised to engage South Asian and Caribbean inequalities within their sport. The sport of Rugby communities with great success. The team at Sporting Equals look League has a rich history of embracing diversity forward to delivering further examples of good practice with our partners at however they are not merely focused on looking the RFL. back, but firmly committed to finding new ways to Arun Kang engage with the increasingly diverse communities CEO Sporting Equals within the UK. Foreword 3 World Club Challenge 2010 Leeds Rhinos V Melbourne Storm Introduction There is of course, research available that highlights the general barriers Participant; in total there were over 30 young people who took part in the facing Asian people in accessing sport. However this research was research, all but two who attended each session were South Asian and undertaken by Rugby League to help better understand the specific identified themselves as Muslim. The age group of participants was between perceptions and experiences of Rugby League, the potential barriers 13 and 17 years of which 5 were young women. Alongside the young people to participation and ways forward for the future among specific Asian one to two community leaders from each community group also took part in Communities. the research providing support and encouragement as well as sharing their views and experiences. None of the participants had ever attended a Rugby It is the intention of the RFL that the outcomes of this research will result in League match previously or had any significant involvement with the sport. actions that will, in time make a tangible difference to Asian communities in terms of increased participation in all aspects of the sport and that Rugby League will be better able to meet the needs of Asian communities. The research targeted 4 specific areas; Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield and Oldham, based on the following of criteria: • BME demographics of each area - high % of Asian communities. • Rugby League has a long tradition in the area with established Super League, Championship and community clubs. • A positive relationship had already been established between RFL and local community groups in order to assure them that participation in the research would result in action and that RFL had a long term commitment to sustainable development in partnership with each community. Introduction 5 Research model 1. Initial session - Tues 15th February 11.30am - 2.30pm (half term) @ Hamara, Beeston Leeds. • Refreshments and information on Rugby League • Welcome and introduction to research • Separate into young men and women’s groups • Activities - experiences of sport in school, community and clubs - Stereotypes around sport and different groups - Perceptions and experiences of Rugby League to date - Expectations regarding match • Whole group shown clip of match and explain basic rules of game • Meet Michael Worrincy, Bradford Bulls player, talk / questions about his experiences of Rugby League • Shared meal and opportunity for informal discussions • Handouts and tickets to match 2. Match day - Sun 28th February World Club Challenge Match @ Elland Road (Leeds Rhinos v Melbourne Storm) • Groups arrived and sat together at match - sat in main stand adjacent to Kop rather than a hospitality area • Emphasised importance of all those attending match also attending the follow up session a week later to feed back on their experiences of the match 6 Research model 3. Follow up session - Sunday 7th March 3.00pm - 5.30pm @ Hamara Beeston Leeds. • Refreshments and welcome • Separate groups - Reflections on match day experience - Getting to stadium - Game itself - Overall atmosphere at stadium - Match day entertainment - Refreshments • Potential barriers to attending future matches • What next in terms of developing RL in the community • Taster session - young men - Rugby League skills session in local park with Starr - young women indoor skills session as requested so could not be overlooked • Thanks to all those who took part • Shared meal and opportunity for informal discussions Research model 7 Key issues emerging from the research • The research suggests that the main barrier is the lack of opportunity to • There is a need to challenge assumptions within Rugby League about attend a match not a disinterest in accessing new sports. Some clear young Asian people not being interested in Rugby League as they are messages came through the research which includes access points only interested in football and cricket and certainly not interested in a and the lack of opportunities. People often don’t know where to go or contact sport. The group which took part in the research had a very lack knowledge around the sport to make them feel comfortable about positive introduction to the sport, which has lead to increased awareness getting involved. Under represented communities will not come to Rugby amongst their local communities, peer groups and families. League we have to introduce the sport to them. • There is a need to continue to offer opportunities and encourage • There is a also a feeling that clubs are ‘white spaces’, and that only elite participation in the sport and the wider game and build capacity athletes signposted from school join sports clubs. More work needs of the community in order that sustainable Rugby League session to be done to help create more inclusive and welcoming clubs and to can begin within the community setting and / or within local schools. challenge stereotypes and discrimination and to develop opportunities Where possible identify a local Rugby League club (Super League for young people to play Rugby League for fun and for health and fitness and Community) that is proactively working to create a more inclusive with a greater emphasis on social elements. and welcoming environment and establish a partnership between the club and community. • We need to consider that the Asian community is not a homogenous group and that age gender, generational differences etc can be significant in • There is a need to market Rugby League to the Asian community and terms of perceptions. There are significant differences in the way people find opportunities to help people get involved in all aspects of the game experience and live in accordance with their cultural and religious norms not just as players and spectators. Overall there is an enthusiasm for and often views are likely to change over time when exposed to certain the sport and a real interest in playing / accessing further skills sessions situations. following the game and the practical skills session that took place on the follow up day. • There is a need to recognise the importance of avoiding generalisations and to consider that there will be different needs, experiences and • This consultation model can be replicated to help gain a real understanding attitudes dependant on factors such as age, gender, and culture.

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