LIMERICK-based migrant and refugee support organisation Doras has launched a toolkit for local authorities, government bodies, and community organisations to combat racism in sport.
The toolkit comes as part of EU-funded project SCORE (Sporting Cities Opposing Racism in Europe), which aims to build a coalition of European cities and entities dedicated to the prevention of racism in order to promote sports as a tool to foster social inclusion.
Speaking at the launch of the toolkit, Fahmeda Naheed, SCORE project coordinator at Doras, said it “outlines concrete actions that can be taken through sport to combat racism at individual, community, and structural level”.
“Overcoming financial barriers such as the cost of club membership and access to facilities are highlighted as critical, as well as a sporting organisation’s ethos and the presence of role models for those from under-represented backgrounds are essential.”
The launch was attended by representatives from numerous sectors in Ireland, including Limerick Sports Partnership, Sports Against Racism Ireland (SARI), Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (MASI), Black and Irish, and Limerick GAA.
Former Irish international football and rugby player, Jackie McCarthy O’Brien, who was also on the panel, said that “as a woman of colour, I have faced many barriers in sport in Ireland. When someone says to me that I’m not Irish, I ask them how many times have they represented Ireland internationally?”
The toolkit highlights how greater levels of sports participation and physical activity lead to greater overall wellbeing and strengthen social bonds between individuals and communities.
