Youth upliftment and development is a beacon of a better future not just for the youth but the next generation and forward, as a nation we must try by all means to give back to inspire the youth, and that is what the Mzansi Rugby Academy pride itself with throughout its existence, established in 2020. Barry Scharneck originally from Port Alfred who is in partnership with his fiancé in bringing hope to the youth of the Eastern Cape province
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"We all need to play our part in changing the narrative because sports has long since been one of the most important socio-cultural learning experience for boys and men for many years. Those same benefits gained by boys and men in sports ought to be afforded to the girls, women, boys and men in our society.
"Inclusion is about making everyone feel accommodated and wanted because sometimes it is not that some people do not want to associate with us, but because we do not allow them the space to be around us"
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Recent social media abuse on footballers such as Lauren and Reece James, Marcus Rashford, Axel Tuanzebe among many others had me thinking about how sports fans view athletes and how society treats historically oppressed groups. I thought about how we can only eliminate discrimination by letting go of old beliefs and unrealistic expectations.
I don't believe the is a linear method to achieving diversity, equity and inclusion, so this is not a criticism of the frameworks in place at all. But, I do believe that the application of the framework can be improved. Diversify where you have quotas, chiefly lower down the pipeline, ensuring that there's a demographic balance coming through the pipeline. Not just the playing squad, but in the support structures too, from the boardroom to the on-field support.
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