Statement on Black Lives Matter

Gabriel Ajala, Passion for Sport trustee:

As an avid listener to the Planet Sport Football Africa programme, I was attracted to Passion For Sport because of its unique content and what it represents, namely, using sport to spread the gospel and covering sport from a perspective that is often neglected in the global sports market.

We are in a time right now with Covid-19 where almost half a million lives have been lost globally, and where humanity has had to pull together in such unprecedented times.

Some may have thought things couldn't get any worse, but then we witnessed the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the third incident of racial violence in the space of a few weeks.

Enough is enough. A period of education, listening and understanding is needed to get to the root of the greatest pandemic that has occurred in humanity: racism.

Although in Passion For Sport our audience, support and reach is global, we still feel the pain that is happening to the black community worldwide. Now more than ever, the core of what we do has to guide us as we set out to be an example to the world and be led by Jesus Christ as we play our part in educating and telling stories of truth and hope, both in Christ and the power of sport.

In the past, the Church used the Bible to justify and encourage the enslavement of people. But now it is paramount for the body of Christ to come together, unite in tackling racism and not allow the vehicle in which God moves to be divided.

Gabriel Ajala is a member of Hillsong Church, Croydon and a former England U15 & U16 footballer

How prejudice almost derailed black Olympian pioneer

The racial prejudice of a US athletics team coach could have prevented a history-making performance, if natural talent hadn’t come out on top.

In the context of the current Black Lives Matter protests, it’s a very good time to revisit an interview Passion for Sport conducted in 2004 with Olympic gold medallist Madeline Manning Mims, one of the USA’s pioneering black athletes.

When she triumphed in the women’s 800m in the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, Madeline became the only US athlete to win this event. More than that, aged just 20, she was the youngest winner for the next 40 years. She went on to win silver in the 4 x 400m relay at the 1972 Munich Olympics, competed in the 1976 Montreal Games and has gone on to a flourishing chaplaincy and speaking career, and recording as a gospel artist.

Yet it could all have ended differently, if the prejudiced plan of one of the team coaches had come off.

Passion for Sport’s reporter Solomon Izang Ashoms spoke to her at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, where Madeline was working as a chaplain, and asked her about her experiences as a black athlete running a distance dominated at the time by white competitors.

“I was one of the youngest on the US team, and it was quite overwhelming for me. The US was battling with a lot of racial prejudice at the time – and I was pioneering in a field led by Caucasians. The Europeans and the US girls were all white – I was the only black girl in there.

“Some people didn’t understand the importance of me being there. I would get threatening letters and telegrams saying ‘You shouldn’t be there, and why don’t you move out the way and let a white girl do it’. There was outcry from American blacks for representation and recognition in our country, so I had a lot on my back at that time.

“What kept me steady and balanced was to know that God created me to be there – he believed in me so I decided to run for his glory. It was a change in direction for my sports development.”

When Madeline and one of her team mates qualified for the 800m final in Mexico, it was a clear opportunity for a 1-2 for the USA, as she explains.

“I told her I would go out fast, get the lead then slow the pack down, and for her to come up next to me and we would control the race. She went and told her coach what she was going to do. He was prejudiced and told her ‘Stay in the back, and let her go out and run out – when she gets tired you can come through and win the race’. Which was stupid, because when she didn’t come up I realised ‘You’re on your own now’ and ran my own race. I was so close to breaking two minutes (which I later did). I was trying to wait for her.

“I was happy when I came through the line – I could hear my mum shouting ‘Thank you Jesus! That’s my baby!’ My team mate came up and I said ‘where were you?’ I was furious. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ I asked her. Her coach wouldn’t let her come out on to the track until late on. She came fifth.”

In the interview, Madeline spoke about the difficulty other athletes had shared with her about forgiving someone who has done you wrong, and she admits “… it took me some years to process through and forgive him. I forgave him by faith: ‘it’s not my problem, it’s his problem’ I told myself. I refused to hold onto it any more – the Lord really took the pain away, and when I next saw him I didn’t feel anything. He was surprised that I spoke to him, and now we do speak.

“It has helped to heal him – he is a better person because I walked in love toward him.”

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW BY CLICKING BELOW

Footballers and isolation: alone together

How have footballers been coping with isolation during lockdown, and what is getting them through as competitive football starts to re-emerge across the world? Andy Searles, a chaplain in Major League Soccer in the USA, and part of ChurchTogether, gives us his take …

Football is a team sport. To reach the highest levels of the game, you have to surrender much of your individuality from your earliest years to your teammates, for the sake of the team. In football, the whole really is greater than the sum of its parts.

Over time the chemistry that is built and the camaraderie that is shared becomes you. This is why it takes players time to adjust and learn to function as an individual when they retire from the game. At least at the end of your career, though, you have time to prepare for the separation that retirement often brings. Teams didn’t have that luxury when the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

During the past 10+ weeks, isolation has been a challenge for players. It's not the same to work out alone in your back garden, it’s hard to follow a strict training regime that has been What’s App’ed from a socially distanced trainer. Not having someone to laugh with, process with, and challenge you saps motivation quickly. So how are professional footballers staying together while being alone?  

Several teams that I have worked with have found creative ways to tackle this problem until normal team dynamics can resume. Technology has provided the opportunity to talk tactics and review game footage, but it has also been leveraged by me, a self-proclaimed CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer in this time), to counter the isolation that this virus has brought.

We've had team-wide inspirational presentations from numerous speakers who have either won Super Bowls, or had their legs blown off, or rescued hostages, or negotiated with terrorists or earned PhDs in what makes elite teams elite.

These presentations have created opportunities to realize that there are greater challenges and opportunities outside of our football bubble, allow us to enter into a shared experience and mentally strengthen ourselves for when we can return to play.

We've helped senior players connect with young players and intentionally invest their experience into those who will one day play in their position.

We've held book studies and bible studies, and talked about things that tough testosterone-filled guys don't usually speak about unless they are faced with the natural fear that a pandemic brings.

We've facilitated small group conversations, screen to screen, that have often only contained frivolous discussions because that's enough, at the moment, to keep us in touch.

The challenge for me in working with professional athletes during this time has been to work out how we let those in isolation – and especially those who have a stronger than usual pull towards a sense of team – know that they are not alone. Learning to dispense touch and strengthen the team through technology hasn't been easy, but it’s helped us be alone together.

How have you been alone together?

Tell us how you’ve coped with lockdown and isolation – comment on our WhatsApp channel on +44 7955 232 780, or one of our Facebook pages: Planet Sport Football Africa, Planet Sport, or Passion for Sport

Tokyo 2020 becomes 2021!

(Reporter Tom Ellis, trying out Wheelchair Basketball in Tokyo)

The Coronavirus outbreak has left the team here at Passion For Sport eagerly awaiting news on what organisers will do about the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. After much pressure from governing bodies and the athletes themselves, earlier this week the International Olympic Committee (IOC) finally announced that the Games & the Paralympics will be postponed until 2021, with the aim of holding it by the summer.

Now that we know about this delay, we can plan for Tokyo 2021 and other than the date, nothing else has changed in our eyes! We are still 100% committed to covering the Games and to supply content for radio stations around the world.

Please join us in prayer as we continue to watch and wait like the rest of the world for further clarity!

Entertainment Fundraiser on 7th March!

Are you free on 7th March?

In July this year, Passion for Sport will be the only sports media agency reporting from the Olympic Games in Tokyo with a Christian perspective. Our aim is to introduce sports fans to Jesus through media using radio, online and social media.

We're delighted to announce that UK- based journalist Russ Bravo will be joining our team in Tokyo. Russ is the former editor of Christian Herald and Inspire Magazine and he’s passionate to use his media skills and love for sport to help introduce sports fans to Jesus. In his spare time Russ feeds another passion of his, comedy, as co-founder and resident MC of Matt’s Comedy Club in Worthing. 

Russ’ church, St Matthews, Worthing, is fully behind his short-term mission assignment with us in Tokyo and they are actively supporting him financially and in prayer. On Saturday 7th March, from 7.30pm, Russ has a fundraiser at St Matthews. It’s going to be an evening’s entertainment. 

The first half will be an hour of music featuring local musicians and bands and the second half will feature an hour of comedy with local stand-ups, acts and some videos from a few well-known Christian comedians. Please secure your tickets by emailing russbravo@virginmedia.com. Tickets are £10- available both from Russ, and on the door on the night.

If you’re not able to join the fun please pray for Russ as he raises his costs for the Tokyo assignment and that the event on 7th March will be a great success!
 

Event: Entertainment evening, featuring local musicians and stand up comedians

Venue: St Matthews Church, Worthing

Address: 103 Tarring Rd, Worthing BN11 4HB

Start time: 7.30pm

Ticket cost: £10

We look forward to welcoming you!

Rugby World Cup- Japan trip review!

It's hard to believe that Tom Ellis and I are now on the other side of our World Cup assignment. The tournament is still going, but it's time to fill you in on what we got up to whilst we were in country. From players interviews, to visiting a Cat Cafe, it feels like we saw it all:

In interview with Willie Britz- professional Rugby player who has just qualified to play for Japan. . .

It was great to grab some time with South African-born flanker, Willie Britz in Tokyo. After spending time in Super Rugby, he now plays for the NTT Communications Shining Arcs, who play in Japan's top Rugby league. He spoke to us about how significant hosting the World Cup is, for the people of Japan, as well as sharing about his faith and how he has had to really rely on God in his move to Japan, where he knows very few people!

He has just qualified to play at international level for Japan but was sadly not looked at in time for this World Cup.

You can listen to the full interview with Willie Britz HERE.

Learning about the history of the Samurai!

Connecting with Rugby fans from all over the world!

It was quite amazing how fans from all over the globe came together to interact and watch the Rugby World Cup with each other, there was no friction, no tribe-mentality, everyone had the upmost respect for one another and their number one goal was to just have a great time! We spoke to countless Japanese fans who didn't follow Rugby, and didn't even know the rules, but got caught up in the frenzy of the tournament! It was great to see the locals embracing the sport and this has been helped massively by the performance of the Japan team, the Brave Blossoms!

Content Producer Tom Ellis in the Tokyo Stadium Fanzone!

Tom and I saw many kids playing Rugby in playgrounds and parks, they had football shirts on but were now playing the sport that they had seen on the TV! This is such a new reality for Japan and gives us hope that the Rugby legacy will be a strong one, long after the World Cup has come and gone.

We were able to connect with many Church groups and mission teams, who had come from Namibia, Fiji, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and France. It was so encouraging to see how the Japanese church was using the Rugby World Cup as a vehicle to introduce sports fans to Jesus. They told us stories of going into schools to run Rugby clinics, but ending up sharing testimonies of what God had done in their lives, to an assembly hall, packed full of kids! This does not happen in Japan, promoting Christianity is not allowed in schools!

Our goal going out to Japan was to give fans a flavour of the sights and sounds, keep them updated with the breaking stories that came from the tournament, and to provide Christian testimony, which we did, through players, fans, Church leaders and missionaries. It was great to be able to produce a programme that was informative and a real source of World Cup update, but also gave you something else, the stories of what God is doing in Japan.

We even ran into Typhoon Hagibis and were treated to an earthquake! I think back to having to place metal pans on my bed, to stop the leaks from the roof ruining my duvet! It was all a great experience and another win for Passion For Sport! You can hear our Typhoon-affected episode HERE.

Please pray for those who A) have been affected by Typhoon Hagibis, as the clear up continues and B) those who have heard one of the Japan 2019 daily podcasts, that they would take something away from it and that one of the faith interviews, even a quote, would resonate with them in some way.

You can Listen to our show from the tournament, the Planet Sport Rugby Podcast- Japan 2019 on Spreaker or iTunes.

Sri Lanka Cricketer, Niroshan Dickwella: "I'm not ashamed, I will talk about God to anyone"

Read all about the life of Sri Lanka Wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella, hear about what it’s like to be a Christian in Sri Lanka, and his pride at representing his country:

How special is it to play Cricket for Sri Lanka?

“There are 22 million people living in Sri Lanka and only 11 can go out and play in a single match, so I’m really glad and proud that I am one of them at the moment, when you wake up in the morning you feel proud of yourself, every time. It’s a great opportunity to make your country proud.”

Growing up who was your sporting role model?

“Kumar Sangakkara was my role model because he was a wicket-keeper, he was left-handed and went to my school as well, he’s from Kandy. That made me follow him and I had number 11, his jersey number when I was playing for the Sri Lanka Under 19’s. Eventually I had to change my number because I played with him!”

What’s the best thing about being a professional Cricketer?

“There are so many things, my career has helped me to take care of my family, my sister, my friends and the popularity that I have now is all because of Cricket. I got Cricket because of my God, God gave it to me.”

Tell us about the tattoo on your arm, which says Philippians 4:13. . .

“I got this tattoo a few years ago and I see it every time that I go out to bat. No one would believe me, but I say a small prayer to Jesus before I face every single ball when I bat. When I feel uncomfortable out in the middle, I just look at this verse and I then feel confident, I feel like I have Jesus next to me.”

Why do you believe in Jesus?

“My father was a Buddhist but my mother a Christian, so I was baptised when I was small. I went to Church and learnt about Jesus at Sunday school. As Christians know, when you get baptised, my parents pledged to help me and then I will take over from my parents. Since then Jesus has helped me throughout my career.”

Is it difficult, being a Christian in Sri Lanka?

“There is a bit of criticism going on in Sri Lanka at the moment but I don’t care about criticism because I always believe in my God. I want to show non-believers what I can do through God, I want to praise him in the middle and show everyone that I am His child.”

In your Sri Lanka dressing room there are Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, do you get the chance to share your faith with others and are they interested?

“We are used to arguing about some Bible parts and verses, sometimes we used to say, this is what it means, we’ve had a few chats about that. Sometimes when we hang out, or go for a coffee we talk about God, but in this country a Christian wouldn’t really like to open up and say that Jesus is my God, because it is a Buddhist country. There’s nothing bad about that, but I’m not ashamed, I will talk about God to anyone. If I have a chance to explain what I have gone through and what I have become, through Christ, I would love to.”

Do you manage to get to Church, with your busy cricket schedule?

“We go to Church and if we are in another country, if we get a chance we will go, even alone, I don’t mind. I ask others to come before a match. If I get a chance to take anyone to Church or teach them anything about Christianity, I will do.”

What advice do you have for young aspiring cricketers in Sri Lanka?

“If you’re training do it properly and if you are studying, study hard. You will get what you want if you give it 100% with both your ability and your faith.”

Meet Curwin Bosch: The Springbok Rugby prodigy

You said on Twitter, ‘everything comes at the right time, be patient, trust the process. God is always on time.’ Why is that something that you believe in and hold on to as a Rugby player?

“That tweet that I made was basically a summary of what I had wanted to do in the last two years. I’ve told you that it’s been a frustrating time for me, for various reasons. I just feel that sometimes we try to control things that are outside of our control. Everything will happen at the right time, I might be frustrated now that I’m not in the Springbok squad, but everything is going to happen in God’s time and when he feels that I am ready for it. Maybe it was part of God’s plan, that he’s going to use these two years, which I might see as frustrating, to try and shape my heart, to build character within me. So that I can become the person that I’m set out to be.”

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

“As far as Rugby is concerned, I would like to cement myself in the Springbok line up by then. Obviously, that’s not only in my control. There are a lot of outside factors which could have an influence on that, but that is one of my goals and what I’m walking towards. On a personal note, one of my daily goals is just to keep growing in my personal faith. I’d like to spend more and more time with God every single day, get to know him in every situation of my life. Not just praise him when everything is going well but to keep the faith when things are tough Hopefully in five years time I will be married and have my first kid.”

Listen to the full episode below via the Planet Sport Rugby Podcast:

Meet Alyssa Conley- From Olympic Sprinter to Springbok Rugby hopeful!

Alyssa Conley was crowned the National Sprint Champion in South Africa

South African sprinter, Alyssa Conley has made a bold career move in recent weeks! The 200 metre runner, who represented her country at the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro, has decided to put her track career on hold, and pursue a career in Rugby 7s! She hopes to learn the game from scratch and use her electric pace to become a top Rugby winger.

We spoke to her on the Rugby Podcast about the decision she has made and how she feels about her new day job. Will she be good enough to break into the Springbok Womens’ Sevens side? Can she compete at the Tokyo Olympic games in 2020? Tune in below and listen to our chat with Alyssa Conley:

Will Alyssa Conley go on to represent South Africa in Rugby?

Is Boxing morally wrong?

As we continue our new ‘Hot Topics’ Planet Sport series, we recently looked at the issue of Boxing and if the sport is morally wrong? We get a Christian athlete perspective from former Welterweight World Champion, Chris ‘The Heat’ Van Heerden and get the views from our panel, Soccer Chaplain Andy Searles and Journalist Russ Bravo! Come join us on the new series!

Have a listen:

Listen to "11 Apr: Is Boxing morally wrong?" on Spreaker.

"I just sat there and prayed, Lord is this the end of my career?"

Reporter Tom Ellis (L) speaking with Kyron McMaster during the Commonwealth Games in Australia

On this week’s Planet Sport we featured a double-header of serious Athletic talent, USA’s World and Olympic Triple Jump Champion, Christian Taylor, spoke to us about where his identity lies, plus Kyron McMaster speaks about winning the British Virgin Island’s first Commonwealth Games medal!

Listen to the Planet Sport interview below:

Listen to "21 Mar: World and Olympic Triple Jump Champion Christian Taylor" on Spreaker.

"I think every person has the power to achieve, if they believe"

Credit: British Athletics/Getty

Last weekend we attended the Birmingham Athletics Grand Prix, which is regarded as the best one-day indoor athletics event in the world!

Reporter Tom Ellis, caught up with the likes of Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou, the joint fastest woman in the world over 100 metres last year - plus GB Hurdler Cindy Ofili.

Listen to the Planet Sport interview below:

Listen to "21 Feb: Ivory Coast sprint queen- Marie-Josee Ta Lou" on Spreaker.

"We have to find more ways to bring spectators into the sport"

Natasha Hastings (USA Olympic Gold medallist)

It’s always good to hear from two Olympic gold medallists - South Africa’s sprint sensation Wayde Van Niekerk and Team USA’s Natasha Hastings. We hear whether Wayde feels the pressure of being compared to the biggest star the sport has seen, in Usain Bolt.

Plus Natasha Hastings tells us about how she’s using the power of social media and that there’s more to life than merely sporting success.

Listen to the Planet Sport interview below:

Listen to "07 Feb: Olympic Champions Wayde van Niekerk (RSA) & Natasha Hastings (USA)" on Spreaker.