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Sukhi Hayer

Catrin Nye

Asian Network Reports: The Asian Football Problem

The Asian Football Problem

08/10/2013

BBC Asian Network - Asian Network Reports, The Asian Football Problem

Sukhi Hayer asks why there are more Ashleys than Asians in the professional game.

There are more Ashleys than Asians in the professional game; that is the current state of Asian representation. 8 Asians out of a total of approximately 4000 players or around 0.2%.

The FA has pledged to publish specific targets for getting Asians into British football. A document - to be released later this year - will have targets for coaches, scouts and players. The governing body of English has for a long time admitted it needs more Asians in the game but it has not identified targets before. The FA insists it will have numerical targets but has not revealed what they will be.

As the second annual Asian Football awards are held at Wembley this BBC Asian Network special looks at why the list of people to give them to is so short. Racism is often cited but there are plenty of black players. Is the lack of backroom Asians the real problem? Or are traditional Asian parents to blame? - diet, build and Asian-only leagues have also been held responsible. Asians are certainly in the stands and Sukhi Hayer asks when and if that will ever be matched on the pitch.

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