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Asian City September 27 - October 10, 2012
SPORT
SEARCH FOR A STAR
Jas sets goal to find new Asian football pros
•MEDALIST Ruqshana won bronze despite diet problems in Russia
Bengali kickboxer’s hunger for success
BRITISH kickboxer Ruqsana Begum won bronze at the IFMA World Championships in Russia last week - despite living on bread and water before the fight. The Muslim Muay Thai kickboxer from Seven Kings, Essex, was unable to find halal food in St Petersburg but still reached the semi-final in the sub-48kg competition. She lost on points to her opponent from Belarus. Across the weight categories fighters from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus took most of the medal places, but among them stood the plucky British fighter. And Ruqsana – who received a bye in round one and beat an opponent from Mauritius in the quarter-final, before losing her semi-final match on points – was delighted with her performance. “They’re like superstars over there. I was up against some really tough opponents so I’m very proud,” she said. “Fighters in Russia and Belarus have funding to train full-time, they have professional coaching and nutritionists, for example, and I gave them a really hard time. “I knocked my opponent down in the first round of the semi-final, so I was really pleased. “I’m happy with how far I’ve come and that I’ve won a medal given their resources compared to mine.” The 28-year-old said she was struggling to meet the weight requirements, but the catering in St Petersburg soon amended that. Ruqsana, a devout Muslim, only eats vegetarian cuisine or halal meat and was forced to live off bread for the week in order to adhere to Islamic dietary law. But the British Atomweight champion admits she will be stronger for her experience. “It toughens you up and you grow as a person coming to an event like this in a foreign country,” Ruqsana said. “I was struggling to eat. I was fighting with no food in me and I dropped so much weight in a week. “Before I flew out I was struggling to get down to 48kg, now I think I’m less than 47kg. “People tend to skip the night before a fight and sweat enough to get down to the required weight when really they’re bigger than that. I’m now underweight. I think my stomach has shrunk!”
WILL we ever see an Asian player in the England football team? Well, without passionate fans such as Jas Jassel, we probably won’t.
Jas is part of a growing army of Asians hoping to bring some much needed spice to the beautiful game. Whilst there are dozens of young players in clubs all over the country, waiting for their break, there are also lots of supporters working away behind the scenes, opening up opportunities to such future talent. Jas is a huge footy fanatic and advocate of getting more Asians into football. Yet he doesn’t make a living from it. Jas puts all his spare time into volunteering, giving up evenings and weekends for the cause. His enthusiasm and dedication was recognised earlier this summer when Jas was selected to be an Olympic torchbearer for giving 700 hours to community service. Shocked by his nomination, Jas recalls: ‘I was absolutely gobsmacked; I kept thinking they had the wrong person. I felt very proud to be able to represent my nation and greatly appreciated the gesture.’ Jas was also recently presented with a ‘Volunteer of the Year’
Middlesex Football Association’s Race and Equality Advisory Group, is also involved with a youth project for Queens Park Rangers in Southall. He explains: ‘It’s a groundbreaking scheme where mentors work alongside children from the age of 16 years, whilst they are still studying their GCSE’s and Alevels and side by side help them either get into coaching, mentoring or playing football. ‘The idea of combining mentoring and education has been hugely popular.’ As well as getting young Asians involved in football, Jas is keen to introduce the idea of volunteering and the benefits that it can have. •BIG AMBITION Jas Jassel wants to help Asian players break into the big league He enthuses: ‘I personally thrive award by the Middlesex Football break into the industry.’ He admits on volunteering and I would love Association for his work with there’s also a need for a change in to become a volunteering Queens Park Rangers to provide attitude by parents and explains: ambassador and encourage more support, guidance and mentoring ‘The older generation used to people into it.’ There’s clearly a lot of work to young footballers. He believes stress the importance of education there is nothing more inspiring but they are now realising that ahead before they are properly than having a role model who will having a sport under your belt is recognised Asian players in mainstream football, but Jas is show you the way. He reveals: just as essential. ‘When I was younger although I ‘It introduces many life long confident that the movement is used to play football growing up, it skills like social, communication happening. He says: ‘Clubs are starting to never crossed my mind that I could and team building skills.’ pursue football as a career. Luckily Jas’ own parents did see realise that they need to look out However, it’s different for the benefits of sport, which is what for Asian players who are talented today’s generation, they should be spurred him on with his - I really think in the next 10 years we will see some signed up.’ given the necessary pathways and volunteering. He says: ‘This generation of opportunities for them to be able to Jas, who is a member of the Asian children are definitely more concerned with their diet and have been educated about the health benefits of exercise so this excuse will no longer wash!’ For young Asians trying to break into the football industry Jas’s advice is to come out of your comfort zone by not being afraid to show off you skills. He concludes: ‘I would say that every child has an opportunity they just need to be seen by the decision makers and hopefully this is something I can help with.’ Get involved!
•GLORY Jas was picked as one of the Olympic torch bearers
•TRAINING Asian youngsters get tips from the professionals
• Visit www.inventivesports.co.uk
BANGLADESH OUTCLASSED BY NEW ZEALAND
•SMASH Brendan McCullum
BRENDON McCullum hit the highest score in Twenty20 international history as New Zealand beat Bangladesh by 59 runs at the World Twenty20 in Pallekele. McCullum grabbed seven sixes and 11 fours in his 58-ball 123, beating the record of 117 previously held by Richard Levi and Chris Gayle. His stands of 94 and 78 with James Franklin and Ross Taylor helped the Kiwis to 191-3. Bangladesh faltered in reply, closing on 132-8, with Kyle Mills taking 3-33. The Tigers’ attempt at the run chase ensured that this was another one-sided World Twenty20 contest, but McCullum’s brilliance had already brought the tournament to life. The right-hander scored all around the wicket to become the first man to score two Twenty20 international centuries. His assault made a mockery of Mushfiqur
Rahim’s decision to field after winning the toss in repeated the dose in the following over by hitting grey conditions, as New Zealand dished out some Abdur Razzak over mid-wicket. An exchange of singles with Taylor and a two brutal treatment to the Bangladesh spinners who taken to point brought McCullum level and, with extracted little turn. two balls remaining, international cricket history Highlight was made as Razzak was again heaved over the leg-side fence. McCullum regularly swiped the slow bowlers He fell to the final delivery, caught in the deep through the leg side, but the highlight of his on the off side, but McCullum had seemingly done innings came when he advanced down the wicket enough to to put the match well beyond to flat-bat pace bowler Mushrafe Mortaza tennis- Bangladesh’s reach. style over long off for six. And so it proved as Tamim Iqbal, the Tigers He benefited from one slice of fortune, being batsman most likely to match McCullum’s dropped at extra cover by Mortaza when on 92, exploits, was caught at cover off Mills in the but, later that over he pulled Elias Sunny to the leg- opening over. side fence to bring up his century. From there, wickets fell with regularity until With eight balls of the innings remaining, Nasir Hossain and Mahmudullah added 50 for the McCullum had the record in his sights and, after fifth wicket, but Hossain’s 39-ball half-century dispatching Sunny straight for a maximum, he came far too late to make an impact on the result.