Kenyan defender speaks of racism in England

Fledgling Kenyan defender George Gitau who plies his trade in Middlesbrough Under 18 is part of the new Teesside Trailblazers initiative that acts against racial justice in classrooms, playgrounds, and on football pitches.

The former Crystal Palace, Arsenal, and Brighton and Hove Albion defender is part of the academy players using their own experience of recognizing and tackling racism as a team to inspire other young people to fight the issue.

The 18-year-old revealed that he has been unfortunate to experience racism but commended the team for the initiative to tackle the social vice.

“Tackling racism is important to me because I’ve experienced it, and my experiences might not be as bad as some other people who are from different backgrounds, but it still has meaning and is important to me.

“I am proud of our record of tackling racism. As a team, we’ve done this through sharing our experiences, speaking out and education,” said Gitau.

So far up to 950 people in schools in Middlesbrough have signed up to take part in the new initiative with one primary school and one secondary school standing a chance to visit the club’s training ground to reward their efforts.

Gitau emphasized the influence footballers possess in the community with the club being the heartbeat of the town as he hopes the initiative can have a huge impact.

“I know people look up to football players as role models and that our club is at the heart of the Teesside community. We can help make a big difference if we promote the right messages on and off the pitch,” added Gitau.

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