The news
The COSARAF Foundation was proud to sponsor and support a powerful Community Sport Diversity event hosted at the iconic Millennium Stadium (Principality Stadium) in Cardiff, bringing together inspiring British Bangladeshi sporting figures to encourage greater representation and participation in sport amongst young South Asians.
The event was organised by Bengal Dragons Foundation and hosted by respected community figure and sporting advocate Imrul Gazi, who welcomed three outstanding British Bangladeshi role models to Cardiff for a special community reception and engagement event.
Guests included:
- Hamza Choudhury – Premier League footballer and one of the most recognisable British Bangladeshi athletes in UK sport
- Hamza Uddin – Professional boxer from Walsall, currently ranked eighth in the world
- Roziur Rahman – Owner of Scunthorpe Football Club and a pioneering figure in football leadership and ownership
The event celebrated the achievements of British Bangladeshi individuals breaking barriers within professional sport and leadership, while also creating an important platform to inspire the next generation of young people to believe that pathways into sport are possible for them too.
A major focus of the initiative was ensuring that the event’s message reached beyond the stadium itself. Through extensive social media coverage and digital engagement, organisers and partners aimed to channel the stories, journeys, and experiences of the speakers to thousands of young South Asians across the UK and internationally.
Representation in elite sport remains limited for many South Asian communities, particularly within football. Events such as this play a vital role in increasing visibility, challenging stereotypes, and providing young people with relatable role models from similar cultural backgrounds.
COSARAF Foundation’s Director attended the event alongside her young daughter, a keen football player herself, highlighting the deeply personal importance of creating opportunities for young girls and boys to see successful sporting figures who reflect their own heritage and experiences.
For many young British South Asians, visible role models within professional sport are still relatively rare. Seeing individuals such as Hamza Choudhury succeed at the highest levels of football provides powerful inspiration and helps young people feel that they too belong within spaces where representation has historically been limited.
Supporting initiatives such as the Community Sport Diversity event aligns closely with our core aims of empowering communities, promoting inclusion, supporting young people and creating opportunities through education, wellbeing, leadership and social mobility.
By investing in events that celebrate diversity, representation, and aspiration, the COSARAF Foundation continues its commitment to supporting initiatives that inspire confidence, ambition, and positive futures for the next generation.
