Arena Sport, 2022

Conscious and unconscious racism have blighted the lives of talented black and Asian men and women, preventing them from fulfilling their potential. In Formula One, despite Lewis Hamilton’s stellar achievements, barely one per cent of the 40,000 people employed in the sport are of ethnic minority heritage. In British professional football, the number of non-white managers remains pitifully small. And in cricket Azeem Rafiq’s testimony to the Commons select committee has exposed the prejudice faced by Asian cricketers.

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Mihir Bose examines the effects of racism on black and Asian sportsmen and women, and how attitudes have evolved over the past fifty years. He looks at the grassroots and international competition. He demonstrates how the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement has had a seismic impact but explains that it has also led to a worrying white fatigue.

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Interviewees from playing field and the media to the boardroom illustrate the complexities and striking contrasts in attitude. We hear from players, coaches and administrators as Mihir explores the question of how the dream of a truly non-racial sports world can become a reality. 

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Shortlisted for best sports writing in the 2023 Sunday Times Sports Book Awards.