Paradise hosts 14th UK Asian Football Championships
By: Newsroom Staff on 07 Sep, 2012 11:30
THE 14th UK Asian Football Championships are returning to Glasgow this year and once more our own Paradise is the venue for the final
The Scottish Ethnic Minority Sports Association (SEMSA), in partnership with Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Life and Celtic are hosting the annual event.
The teams competing this year are Singh Sabha Hounslow, Sikh Hunters Walsall, Sporting Bengal, GGNP Coventry, Coppice United, Singh Sabha Slough, London APSA and the host side representing Glasgow and Scotland, SEMSA FC.
The opening rounds of the tournament will be played at Glasgow Green on Friday and Saturday of this week before the top two teams clash in the final on the hallowed turf of Celtic Park on Sunday.
Celtic Chief Executive, Peter Lawwell said: “Celtic Football Club is delighted to be hosting and sponsoring the UK Asian Football Championships once again.
“The event is one which Celtic was instrumental in forming and it is very pleasing to see the way in which it has evolved over a number of years.
“Celtic has always been more than a football club and has long supported a variety of important community events aimed at promoting equality and the respect of cultural differences.
“As a club open to all since its formation in 1888, Celtic encourages any initiative which promotes ethnic harmony, social integration and the benefits of cultural diversity.
“These Championships achieve this - they are great for Glasgow and great for Scotland.
“The Championships have proven to be highly successful in promoting opportunity for all in sport and in providing a fantastic avenue for the promotion of young Asian footballers.
“I would like to congratulate the organisers on all their hard work and dedication in making this an outstanding event year on year and on behalf of all at Celtic Football Club I would like to wish the players and the teams the very best of luck.”
Now in its 14th consecutive year the event has successfully raised the profile of Asians in football and in doing so stimulated much needed debate around the issues that prevent the full participation of this particular community as well as other minority communities at all levels of the game.
The final goes ahead at Celtic Park on Sunday, September 9, with a 2pm kick-off time. Entry is free and if the 90 minutes finish level, the outcome will be decided by penalty kicks.
