Cricket World Cup winner Jofra Archer lands Sportsman of the Year prize at BEDSAs

GLORY: Jofra Archer

JOFRA ARCHER celebrated a triumphant night at the 2020 Sporting Equals BEDSAs (March 14).

Forever to be known as the player who bowled the  decisive Super Over as England beat New Zealand to beat the limited overs World Cup last July, Archer took home the Sporting Equals Sportsman of the Year award at the glittering award show hosted by Sir Lenny Henry, at Hilton Park Lane Hotel, in central London. 

After being pivotal to England’s dramatic victory and having overcome so many obstacles to enter into the elite level of the game it was a truly well-deserved accolade.

Archer said: “I’m so honoured to have been awarded Sporting Equals Sportsman of the Year, with the World Cup victory in cricket I feel equality and diversity in sport is the only way forward.

“The work Sporting Equals has done and continues to do for diversity and equality is truly amazing, a great organisation and I’m really grateful to be part of that legacy.” 

Sporting Equals is a charity that focuses on delivering BAME inclusion and racial equality in sport in Britain. There could be no more befitting an athlete than Barbados-born Archer when looking at his achievements and Sporting Equals’ values.

One of the projects Sporting Equals works on is Breaking Boundaries, in partnership with Spirit of 2012 and Youth Sport Trust. The project seeks to promote the power of sport in building cohesive communities through cricket. The project is active around the nation in five cities, Manchester, Bradford, Barking and Dagenham, Slough and Birmingham.

Archer added: “It’s great to see this national project bringing together communities across five cities by using cricket.

“The work Sporting Equals has done and continues to do for diversity and equality is truly amazing”

Jofra Archer

“As a sport cricket has the ability to unite people of varying backgrounds and the work Breaking Boundaries is doing to create and build cohesive communities through cricket is really great to see.” 

Sporting Equals have launched a Race Equality Charter which seeks to capture, commit and celebrate racial diversity in British sport, from grassroot level right up to elite talent.

Chief executive of Sporting Equals, Arun Kang, said: “We are so pleased to see that both the public and our diverse esteemed judges selected Jofra Archer as the Sporting Equals Sportsman of the Year for BEDSA 2020.

ON TOP OF THE WORLD: Dina Asher-Smith

“Being of Barbadian descent Jofra is one of a few elite African Caribbean British cricketers and as such he acts as a role model and source of inspiration for many BAME individuals who have aspirations to become key active members of our sporting community.

“We have recently partnered with Swim England and the LTA for our Race Equality Charter, we hope to deliver more change in the sector and having athletes like Jofra who are tangible role models is so important to highlight that victory lies in equality of opportunity for all communities.

“We hope to deliver such opportunities and inspire future generations to become the Jofra Archer’s for Britain in many sports and roles.

“An incredibly capable, inspiring and deserving athlete we are thrilled Jofra Archer won the Sporting Equals Sportsman of the Year award.”

BEDSA 2020 award winners:

The UK Sport Inspirational Performance of the Year
Sannah Ahmed

Sport England Community Sports Project of the Year
Khalsa Football Federation & Panjab FA

Youth Sport Trust Young Sports Person of the Year
Rohan Bhuhi

The City Livery Unsung Champion

Gian Singh Cheema

England Athletics Coach of the Year Award
Paula Dunn MBE

British Army Sportswoman
Dina Asher-Smith

Sporting Equals Sportsman of the Year Award

Jofra Archer

LTA Community Tennis Project of the Year
Pro Touch SA

The Sky Media Lifetime Achievement Award
Kriss Akabusi MBE

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