Amir Khan Supports Chelsea FC’s Asian Star Initiative

British-Asian boxer, former welterweight world champion, and Olympic silver medalist, Amir Khan has given his backing to Chelsea FC’s Asian Star initiative that aims to address the lack of representation by Asians in all levels football. This is the sixth such event and it invites youngsters from all over Britain to compete in a tournament and other challenges to test the speed, skill, and technique. Chelsea has also extended the invite to coaches, trainers, and scouts to help the Asian youngsters find clubs in their area. The top performers are invited to the Chelsea Foundation’s Football Development Centres and the program has uncovered seven players who have gone on to join the academies of professional clubs.

Khan said in a statement:

"“I am delighted to support Chelsea’s Asian Star initiative as sport can have a huge positive effect on young people and the communities they live in. Chelsea’s Asian Star programme is now in its sixth year and is a great way to get more Asian kids in to sport. It can be a massive boost for Asian football and I’m sure that it will help more young players from Asian backgrounds get the chances in the game that their talent deserves. It is well documented that there are only a few British-Asian professional footballers and the Asian Star programme is addressing that and letting people from the Asian community know that they can play football, the talent is there and there are clubs willing to nurture those skills.”"

Khan went on to discuss the fact that the Asian Star Initiative is not just about finding talented footballers but about promoting exercise and a healthy lifestyle. This program is wonderful for all those involved and gives the club a chance to develop a new generation of not only players, but lifelong fans of the club. They might even get lucky and find the next John Terry in the midst of all these youngsters who would never have given football a chance without this imitative.

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