Wolverhampton Mayor: City’s sport stars making us proud

Representing the city, it is wonderful to see Wolverhampton more prominent on the international map, due to the sports people and clubs here.

Wolverhampton is known and greeted with a smile wherever you go in the world – except, perhaps, in West Bromwich!

Thanks to Chinese investment and support in Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club the city has name recognition in all parts of the globe.

Wolves players come from all around the world.

Not only do the players for Wolves represent our city diligently, but our exports do so as well; such as Egyptian national team player Samy Morsy who was born in Wolverhampton, helping promote the city.

It was wonderful to see that Wolves captain Conor Coady got a call-up to represent England, congratulations to him!

Wolverhampton Wanderers play an active part in the community and the captain has certainly played a part in supporting our community. Wolverhampton Wolves in speedway equally excel as making Wolverhampton a place of global significance. Football is not the be all end all of our sporting excellence. I have recently become a fan of watching the Tour de France. The countryside, the brightly coloured Lycra jerseys, and the steep mountains – I certainly don’t envy any of the riders.

Celebrating

Before lockdown, I completed some laps for charity alongside our very own cycling legend-turned-pundit Hugh Porter. Even at the grand age of 80, he could still ride rings around me. Equally, it was a pleasure to go to the Ikon Martial Art Centre Awards last December and see how martial arts is changing people’s lives to enable them to fulfil their potential and become World Champions.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games will be held in Birmingham, and I feel it is only right to recognise our sporting stature: Wolverhampton should be included in some major way.

It was a joy to see many athletes with Wolverhampton plastered over their jerseys competing in the British Athletics Championships this month. I hope they will continue their good work to play a part in the Commonwealth Games. I have been a member of the Sports Advisory Council of Wolverhampton for many years and fully realise supporting sport is more than just attending an event: it requires hard work behind the scenes.

Wolverhampton has played a role in highlighting the diversity of our city and celebrating those from all different backgrounds. Sporting athletes from Wolverhampton and around the world has played an important role in highlighting that Black Lives Matter. It was a great shame that the Dwarf Sports Association UK National Games and the Samiti Khel Pratiyogita 2020 International women sport event, due to be hosted in Wolverhampton, had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.

The Punjabi Wolves are one of countless organisations that have contributed to enhancing sporting diversity in Wolverhampton. Sport is open, accessible and for everyone and the list of sporting goodwill and kindness is endless.

This national and international success is not only good for our teams, but it is good for our people, our communities and our businesses. Wolverhampton has a long tradition of sporting influence. Long may it continue.