Sport, London 2012 & Young British Asians: A sociological study of young British Asian sports participation, consumption and identity, post-London 2012

This thesis explores the sporting interests and experiences of a small sample of young British Asians, drawn from two UK cities: Leicester and Wolverhampton. Framed in the immediate post-London 2012 period, the thesis focuses, broadly, on three key themes: sporting consumption practices pre- and post-2012; the construction of local, national and ethnic identities through sport; and participation opportunities for ‘doing’ sport for British Asians in these two different locations. Preparations for London 2012 included promises of a nationwide sporting legacy that would ‘inspire a generation’ of young people to get involved in local sporting activities and reconnect the UK’s diverse communities. However, British Asians representing Great Britain in Olympic sport remain an infrequent sight, despite the presence of large British Asian amateur sporting communities. Twenty-eight semistructured interviews were completed with a sample of young British Asian males and females to explore, within this context of elite-level underrepresentation, the local impact of the Games on the overall British Asian sporting experience. A central theme within this research was the generational shift apparent in the feelings of belonging to England and Britain, as citizens and sports fans. The alternative structure of competition in the Olympic Games promoted an inclusive national identity; one that celebrated difference and diversity and offered a way in to the national collective that is sometimes lacking in other contexts. However, my sample of young British Asians did not notice increased local opportunities to be physically active, and thus their participation habits remained stagnant. Despite initial positivity and increased feelings of belonging during the Games, London 2012 was not the transformative moment promised. Positive local effects were, at best, ephemeral.