When the referee saw my 6-inch Kirpan

Gurnam Singh (standing, left) with the Albion Sports (Bradford) football team in early 1980s- Photo: Supplied

By Gurnam Singh | Opinion |

The above picture was taken around 1980/81 when I would have been 20 years old. The team is Albion Sports in Bradford, U. In case you missed it, I am the one with the headband and top knot! Albion Sports FC was established by local Punjabi lads in 1974, and went onto become one of the most successful amateur football clubs in England, and it is still going strong today.

I played regularly until 1979 when we won many trophies. However, I then left the city to commence my degree at university in London. I did play intermittently on my trips back to Bradford but it proved to be especially difficult during term time. I did, however, continue to play in the Punjabi tournaments that used to take place around the country during the summer months.

At university I managed to make the first team during my first year. This was unprecedented as there were 8 teams in total, so to make the first team was quite an achievement. We played in the UK universities league, which was a very high standard. Indeed, the training and coaching regime was quite professional and I know that some of the players did go onto play for professional clubs.

After university undergraduate days, in 1983 I went back to Bradford and played a few games for the club. I can remember doing an ardaas (supplication) on the pitch before matches. However, on one occasion during the warm-up, at the insistence of the opposition players, I was approached by the referee to show what was under my shirt. I revealed my 6 inch Kirpan which is as many will know an article of faith for amritdhari (initiatied) Sikhs. Though I had managed to hitherto get away’ with wearing my Kirpan, on this occasion we had just been given a new set of shirts and mine was so tight that even from a distance one could see the bulging outline of something ‘unnatural’ beneath my shirt!

The referee said I would not be allowed to play with the kirpan and that either I remove it or leave the pitch; I chose to leave the pitch. I was also reported to the local Football Association and was not allowed to play with my kirpan. Sadly, that led to the end of my serious playing days, I though I have continued to play for pleasure with work colleagues to this very day. Thankfully (I think!) things have changed now and Sikh football players face less discrimination. That said, I am astonished at the lack of Asian footballers in the professional game.

So, I was banned from playing in 1983, but just a few months later my whole life changed following the Indian governments attack on the Sikh Nation in 1984. My priorities totally changed and I became intensely involved in political activism with football becoming of secondary importance. This was something for me as to that point I had been obsessed with playing and watching the game.

Indeed, as a child I had dreamt of becoming a professional footballer and was captain of my school teams at both Junior and High School. But sadly, I didn’t get any support from my Panjabi parents who could not reconcile my obsession with football and their expectations for me to peruse education and become a Doctor. Well I didn’t become a MD but did manage to complete a PhD!

I am now 62 years old and still regularly play 5-a-side football with my university colleagues. Though my speed and turning capabilities are significantly diminished, as a keen cyclist, my fitness level is quite good. Coupled with my footballing mind I am still able to compete with players 20/30 younger than me.

Gurnam Singh is an academic activist dedicated to human rights, liberty, equality, social and environmental justice. He is an Associate Professor of Sociology at University of Warwick, UK. He can be contacted at Gurnam.singh.1@warwick.ac.uk

* This is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.

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