Beyond Sport Global Awards Winners Revealed

Grassroots organisations, brands, sports teams, leagues and athletes gathered at the One World Observatory at the top of the One World Trade Centre in New York City on Wednesday evening to celebrate the courageous, creative and impactful work being done around the world through sport, at the Beyond Sport Awards.

This year Beyond Sport revamped the Awards to align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), recognising the use of sport as an effective approach to addressing extreme poverty, inequality and climate change.

Alive and Kicking was presented with the Sport for Quality Education and Employment Award for their work in Ghana, Kenya and Gambia creating fairly paid, ethical employment through the manufacture and sale of sports balls. All profits from the sale of sports balls are used to fund entrepreneurial programmes and health education in their countries of operation.

Hajar Abulfazl (pictured above, centre, with WWE Superstars) received the Courageous Use of Sport Award, presented by WWE, with the Afghan footballer’s advocacy work spanning female sports empowerment from the grassroots to elite levels, engaging with numerous sports federation and government officials.

Global Impact of the Year went to Women Win, which has impacted the lives of over 1.24 million adolescent girls in over 100 countries since it launched in 2007, leveraging sport to help girls thrive as they face the most pressing issues of adolescence, including accessing sexual and reproductive health and rights, addressing gender-based violence and achieving economic empowerment.

This year’s Leadership in Sport Award recognised the impact of Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir (pictured below, left), a highly decorated College basketball player who hoped to continue playing professionally in Europe, only to be denied the opportunity because of an International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rule prohibiting head gear larger than five inches. Unwilling to stray in her beliefs, she chose faith over basketball and became an advocate working alongside other Muslim players. Thanks to Abdul-Qaadir, FIBA overturned the hijab ban in May 2017.

Other winners included Everton in the Community whose Imagine Your Goals programme picked up the Sport for Health and Well-being Award, Best Partnership or Collaboration went to National Alliance of Sport for the Desistance of Crime (NASDC) – 2nd Chance Group (Global/UK), whilst Soccer in the Streets picked up the Sport for Innovation and Tech Award for their Station Soccer initiative in Atlanta, Georgia.

Thanks to the support of Comic Relief and Swedish Postcode Lottery, winners of the Community Awards will receive over $130,000 of funding from the Beyond Sport Foundation, while all shortlisted organisations will also receive business support including fundraising from GivenGain and monitoring and evaluation intelligence from Upshot. Since 2009, Beyond Sport has awarded over $6m worth of business support and funding that has allowed over 175 winning and shortlisted projects grow and become sustainable in their field.

Nick Keller, founder and president of Beyond Sport concluded: “Now, more than ever, all sectors need to contribute to the UN SDGs and we believe that it is crucial to shine a light on the role sport is playing in this endeavour. Tonight’s winners and shortlisted organisations show that throughout the world, sport can be harnessed to improve lives and create sustainable social change in a remarkable way.”