Abhinav Mishra
Hi, my name is Abhinav Mishra. I’m a software engineer currently pursuing MSc Sport Business and Innovation from Loughborough University London, my second Masters in the sports domain.
Sports has always been my passion of mine, and the reason I switched fields to work in it. I play sports including cricket, football, badminton and tennis. I applied for the Diversity in Sports programme to enhance my network and find great opportunities which could help me in my career moving forward and I can’t wait to get started.
Abdus Salam Fadlu-Deen
My name is Abdus Salam Fadlu-Deen. I’m an Editorial Assistant at Premier League Productions, and have just begun my journey in the sports industry. I have a deep passion for sports, with a particular interest in football, basketball and American football. To develop my skills and knowledge further, I produced my own podcast and created content at various sporting events.
I joined the Diversity in Sports programme, as it presents an opportunity to expand my professional network and gain valuable insights into the diverse roles available in the sports industry. Being mentored by experienced individuals in different avenues of the industry is a prospect that excites me, and I look forward to receiving guidance to help propel my career.
Alice Warren
Hi, my name is Alice. I love an adventure, a long summer’s day watching cricket, and a cup of tea & a natter. I work for a charity called the Ruth Strauss Foundation, taking care of all things digital marketing.
I found out I was dyslexic when I was young – it’s brought funny quirks, creative flair, and sometimes struggles. I love the way it makes me think outside the box and I am hoping the programme will help build my confidence when it comes to sharing ideas. I was a content creator for the Oval Invincibles during the inaugural The Hundred and this sparked my passion for working in the sports industry.
I’m excited to take part in such an inclusive programme, to learn from the best in the sporting world, connect with likeminded humans and create some friends along the way.
Fun fact: I lived in China and learnt mandarin.
Amar Mehta
Hi, I’m Amar. I recently started a new role as Assistant News Editor on the news desk at Sky Sports News.
Before that I worked in local news, as a reporter at The Lawyer and a news reporter at Sky News.
I applied for the Two Circles’ Diversity in Sports mentoring scheme to help gain insight from experts in best ways I can progress in my career. I can’t wait to get started.
Dylan Baker-Mineau
I’m 24 and currently live in Brighton. In 2021 I completed a degree in Outdoor Adventure Management and, for the last few years, I have worked as an outdoor instructor in various centres in England and North America.
I have a form of cerebral palsy and sport has always helped keep me fit and healthy, both physically and mentally. I support Brighton & Hove Albion and play for their cerebral palsy football team, and regularly compete in the UK cerebral palsy football league. Being both French and English, I have recently been selected to play for the French national cerebral palsy football squad for their inaugural tournament. I believe the Two Circles’ Diversity in Sports programme can give me the opportunity to learn more about the sports industry.
Ella Frederick
My name is Ella, and I am a recent human rights master’s graduate looking to get into the sports industry. I am passionate about watching, analysing, writing, and creating sports content. I am part of an all-black women’s podcast called Goal Diggers, analysing men’s football on a weekly basis as a Liverpool fan. I also help with the social media and content side of a podcast called TannaTalksSoccer and have recently started my own football blog.
As someone who is at the beginning of a potential career, I applied for this programme to gain training, mentorship and guidance into what it is like to work in the sports industry. I am also passionate about making meaningful changes in sports by highlighting issues within it. Particularly regarding human rights, by combining my passion for sports and my academic studies.
Hina Mistry
Hello I’m Hina Mistry, currently working as an Anti-Discrimination Advisor at the England and Wales Cricket Board. My background has involved working in diverse communities & empowering underrepresented groups. I am an advocate for voicing diversity and driven to be an influence of change both on and off the pitch.
I have partaken in numerous mentoring schemes before, both as a mentee and mentor and I am always truly amazed by how invaluable the sessions can be. I discovered Diversity in Sports on LinkedIn, and honestly it felt like my calling. As a South Asian Female, at times, it can be hard to find role models that look like me in the sporting landscape. Therefore, I am truly grateful to be accepted on the cohort of 2023 and excited to develop myself further within the sporting industry and looking forward to connecting with like-minded individuals along the way.
Jemima Lewis
I graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, completing my final year during Covid. I went on to work at Vodafone UK’s graduate scheme, before moving into the sports industry where I now work for Formula E as a digital & content analyst. I have a passion for motorsport and have the ambition to continue working in the sports industry.
I now live in London, but spent the majority of my childhood in Pembrokeshire, southwest Wales. So, I am a big fan of rugby especially at an international level. I wanted to join the Diversity in Sports programme because of the opportunity it gives people who are not as represented within sports.
Joi Foote
Hi, I’m Joi, and I have career aspirations to break into the world of either sports journalism or marketing. I’m excited by anything that allows me to combine my two passions of sports and creativity.
Fun fact: I have an identical twin sister
Kulthum Mohamed
My name is Kulthum Mohamed and I’m going into the final year of my sports journalism degree at UCLAN. With aspirations to work in motorsport media, I signed up for this programme as I believe it will enhance my skills, help me explore different roles within the industry, develop my understanding of working with clients and lots more.
Diversifying the media everyone consumes can only be done by diversifying the people creating it and I’m glad I can be a part of that. Following stories that connect with the masses and creating hard hitting pieces is something I truly enjoy doing.
Alongside my passion for sports, I also produce movies and music videos which is another creative outlet that allows me to enrich my leadership and organisational skills. It’s something I look for in my career prospects – just like I believe this programme will help me explore further.
Lydia Pearse
Hi I’m Lydia, I’m originally from Cornwall and am currently living in Bristol! I used to work for a human rights charity, but now I work part-time for StatsBomb, in the marketing department. I’m an avid football fan (and an exhausted Chelsea fan) looking to develop my skills as a sports journalist, having previously written for The Stack World and Arsenal Women.
This is a difficult industry for anyone to get into, but especially for someone with the condition I have – Long Covid – which affects me in a plethora of ways. That is why I have applied to the Diversity in Sports programme, and I am looking forward to meeting everyone else in the cohort.
Malachi Bardouille
My name is Malachi Bardouille, and I am a final year Economics student at the University of Nottingham. After completing my penultimate year at university, I opted to take a gap year, during which I completed a 7-month internship at the NFL, working in their International Media team. This was an amazing opportunity and one that I thoroughly enjoyed, opening my eyes to the possibility of a future career in sport and ultimately leading me to apply for the Diversity in Sports programme.
Partaking in the Diversity in Sports programme will provide me with an opportunity to learn and improve on my existing skillset under the guidance and stewardship of people who operate at the forefront of the industry. I am passionate about sport and wish to immerse myself in the industry as much as possible, and I believe Diversity in Sports will enable me to do just that!
Nathaniel Hill
My name is Nathaniel Stephen Gorge Hill, and I am currently a law student at City University of London. My interests in sports started during the Covid pandemic, when there was a rise in sporting bodies uploading their archive footage to social media as a way of keeping in touch with fans. This sparked my curiosity around how sporting bodies produce and distribute footage, and is where my interest in media rights started. Whilst making playlists of official sports broadcasts, I then started to look at media stories, which piqued my interest.
As a result, I then joined The Ability In Group Sports (TAGS), which is a network of disabled people getting into the sports media industry. With TAGS, I saw a TAGS LinkedIn post promoting Diversity In Sports, and as I want to be able to suggest new ideas to increase reach, I applied and was accepted.
Prisca Ndombe
Hello! My name is Prisca and I am a recent graduate with a degree in International Business and Spanish. I am a driven and enthusiastic individual who is passionate about sports, particularly Formula 1. My interest in sports started at a young age, and as I grew older, I became more interested in the marketing and business side of the industry.
I have always been fascinated by how sports can bring people together from all walks of life and break down barriers. This is why I applied for Diversity in Sports. As a woman of colour, I have faced my fair share of challenges and obstacles in life. I have had to work twice as hard to achieve my goals and overcome the stereotypes and biases that exist in our society.
I believe that diversity and inclusion are critical in all aspects of life, especially in sports. By participating in this programme, I hope to learn from and network with individuals from diverse backgrounds and gain the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue a successful career in sports marketing. I am excited about this opportunity and eager to see where it will take me in my career.
Saloni Allot
My name is Saloni Allot. I am working as the Head of Women & Girls Cricket and Community Development Manager at Ealing Cricket Club in London. I am also a cricketer myself, having played professionally in India for 14 years and am currently playing for Ealing Women!
I am an out-going person and a big fan of adventure sports! You can always talk cricket with me and have a growing interest in football and rugby! Coming from India, sports was never considered as a serious profession and my mother always wanted me to have a strong academic foundation. This led me to pursue a Chemical Engineering alongside playing cricket professionally, in India. Even though I did well in my degree, I turned down job opportunities to think about what I genuinely wanted to do in my life. I came to the realisation that I could convert my love for sports and cricket into a profession.
I was fortunate enough to study at Loughborough University after which I joined the Rugby Cricket Academy as a Cricket Development Officer. I later joined Hampshire Cricket as a Marketing Executive. I am extremely passionate about women’s sport and women’s cricket especially. I see myself working for the development and growth of women’s sport and I feel very fortunate to be living in this era where we can see our female athletes breaking barriers and raising the bar!
I joined Diversity in Sports for my professional development, to understand the working culture and dynamics of the industry in the UK and most importantly meeting like-minded people from whom I can learn and get inspired from.
Umar Patel
Across the world, wherever a person may be, sports will always be present; so how people receive it is extremely important. I believe that sport has the power to bring people from different cultures and backgrounds together and it can go deeper than just being a spectator or a fan.
There are many rising problems around the world in sport, therefore I am looking forward to making my own positive impact. I am an optimist who believes in inspiring and supporting discoveries that advance the quality of life. My desire is to learn and seek new techniques in the world of sports, and how to make a positive change in the field. I am interested in working with local communities and understanding what we can do to connect and inspire the next generation.
Vinay Depala
My name is Vinay Depala. I have a first class degree in Sports Studies from the University of Hertfordshire, and am now currently pursuing a masters degree in football business at UCFB University. My dream is to become a football agent however first I want to work in commercial sales within a football club or agency and understand how sport works in a commercial environment. I am so grateful to be accepted onto the Diversity in Sports programme, where I hope to better understand what the sports industry is really about, as well as get to explore many opportunities in sports. I look forward to taking advantage of the networking opportunities that will be provided through this programme and hopefully reach my end goal!
Zoya Zia
My name is Zoya and I am a writer and poet from Pakistan and Texas. I work at Chance to Shine, a national cricket charity that aims to give all young people the opportunity to play, learn and develop through cricket.
From an early age, I have been drawn to the transformational force of sport. It can build communities beyond borders and change lives. For me, watching Manu Ginobili and becoming a San Antonio Spurs fan made Texas feel like home. As much potential as there is in sport, there are a range of structural issues that taint it. I am excited to be part of this year’s Diversity in Sports cohort to gain knowledge of the industry and be part of initiatives to make it inclusive for fans internationally. In the process, I hope to learn alongside my mentees and think past the status quo to envision new realities for sport.