Shawn Huff, basketball player

“Basketball and sport are affected by discrimination and racism, just like every other area of life. Gender equality and equal opportunities to practice and play sports are important issues for me. I’m sure every member of a minority has their own personal experiences of discrimination. We are often shocked by them for a moment, but temporary shock does not create any concrete change.

We need the people in positions of power, the sports federations and club managers, to actively want to change things. As captain of the Susijengi team, I am a role model to many. When I was younger, there weren’t any role models who looked like me in Finland. I feel like I’m responsible for publicly speaking up for equality and human rights.”