Wales left-back Neil Taylor has been named Player of the Year at the Asian Football Awards, recognizing the achievements of British Asians in football. Other awards went to Easah Suliman and Gurjit Singh. The event raises awareness about the lack of professional players from South Asian backgrounds in the top divisions.
Neil Taylor, the Welsh-born left-back for Swansea City, has been awarded Player of the Year at the Asian Football Awards held at Wembley. This annual event, now in its third year, celebrates the accomplishments of British Asian individuals within English football. Taylor, who has a mixed heritage with an English father and Indian mother, was pivotal in helping Wales qualify for Euro 2016.
In addition to Taylor’s accolade, Aston Villa defender Easah Suliman, 17, received the Young Player award. Suliman, who is of Pakistani descent, notably captained the England Under-17s. The Non-League Player award went to Gurjit Singh, a 24-year-old striker for Kidderminster Harriers, who has Indian ancestry.
The Asian Football Awards were first organized in 2012 and 2013, with aspirations to become a biennial fixture. Baljit Rihal, the awards’ organizer, aims to highlight the underrepresentation of professional players from South Asian backgrounds in football. Despite representing 5.3% of the population in England and Wales, there are merely seven players with professional contracts in the top four divisions.
Neil Taylor is recognized as the most notable player from this demographic, alongside Wolves center-back Danny Batth and Mansfield left-back Malvind Benning, who are among the few competing at the first-team level in their clubs. The organizers strive to create more opportunities and increase awareness of this disparity in professional football.
Neil Taylor’s recognition at the Asian Football Awards underscores the achievements of British Asians in football and highlights the ongoing challenges related to representation. Despite the significant demographic presence of South Asians in the UK, professional opportunities in football remain limited. The awards aim to not only celebrate talent but also to encourage greater involvement at all levels of the sport.
Original Source: www.bbc.com
