Caleb Wu, a passionate soccer player from Hartford, Connecticut, has made headlines by setting a new world record for the most alternating football (soccer) touches with the feet on a treadmill in 30 seconds, according to Guinness World Records. Wu, who scored an amazing 75 touches overall, believes that the activity helped him recover from a serious depressive episode.

The 22-year-old Wu has undergone a major transformation and discovered a fresh purpose in football. His struggle with mental health almost cost him his life, so achieving this milestone is very personal to him. With its demanding skills and rhythmic juggling, football became a source of courage and solace for him in his lowest moments.

Wu shared his motivation behind the record attempt: “I always had a passion for soccer, I did a lot of juggling tricks and soccer/football freestyle.

“My teammates challenged me as they showed me a video of someone trying and failing to do it so I wanted to prove them wrong – and it was a fun challenge. I was inspired because when I was younger I almost took my life and I wanted to make the most of my abilities and prove to myself that I can do awesome things,” he told Guinness World Records.

“I also wanted to inspire others to show them that they’re capable of overcoming obstacles,” he said.

Caleb also had to deal with racism during his formative years, from school classmates who would call him names.

He explained: “There were the common stereotypes and people would say Asians are only good at math. I wanted to show them I could compete as an athlete and was able to play college soccer for four years and was a captain for one year.

“I also became the first sponsored Division 3 Athlete and first sponsored college soccer player.”

He added: “I overcame my struggles through finding a passion and wanting to inspire and help others who also struggle.

Earlier this week, a disturbing video emerged from the UK, in which a young Asian boy could be seen being kicked and punched while he lay defenceless on the floor of Manchester Airport. Most reports said that three Greater Manchester police officers were first assaulted – one of whom was left with a broken nose – and that this led to the police response. One officer has been suspended after the incident – which, by the way, the right-wing Reform Party took no time in politicising as it praised the police action. 

No national outrage followed the incident, barring some feeble debate about the alleged police brutality. Had a similar act been committed by an Indian police officer, the Western media would likely have judged the entire police force, emphasising India’s poor human rights records.

Akhmed Yakoob, the lawyer for the Asian boy, described it as police brutality against people from BAME (British Asian and minority ethnic) backgrounds. A few people took to streets to protest the police action as the incident reminded them of the George Floyd assault in 2020, which spurred the Black Lives Matter movement across the West.  

Racism, discrimination, and misogyny within Britain’s police forces are pervasive. Last year, after a year-long official review of London’s Met Police, reviewer Baroness Casey stated, “the force suffers from institutional racism, misogyny, and homophobia”, further adding that “it was time for the force not to be in denial about these deep-rooted issues”.

The Many Types Of Racism

Racism is not a feature limited to the police forces alone in the UK. Several recent official reports have highlighted racism in some premier British institutions, including the BBC, the armed forces, and various government offices. All of these are controlled primarily by White males. For non-Whites, reaching top positions in these institutions is next to impossible, and if at all that happens, it’s mostly just tokenism. Greg Dyke, former director-general of the BBC, famously said in 2001 that the media house was “hideously White”, highlighting the lack of diversity within its workforce at the time. His comment sparked a broader conversation about the representation of ethnic minorities in British media and other institutions. True, some improvements have been made since then, but not a lot.

Also Read | Racism Reducing My Desire To Play Football: Brazil’s Vinicius Junior

There is overt racism too, which comes alive during the 10 months of the football season (August-May) across Europe. I am a football fanatic and an avid follower of European club football; not only have I witnessed racism first-hand in and outside stadiums, but I have also been at the receiving end of it. After being called a “Paki” or a “chutney” on occasion,  I now prefer to watch matches on TV.

Even so, there is little guarantee you will be spared because you are watching the match in the company of your White mates. But even as I say so, I’ve managed to escape the worst of racism. Think of those Black players who suffer humiliation and inhuman treatment from fans of rival teams on a daily basis. Some call them “monkeys”, and throw bananas at them. 

Colonialism, Slavery and Subjugation

White, western racism has persisted for decades, even centuries. The Western hemisphere calls itself ‘civilised’, a notion perpetuated by media, writers, academics and leaders, who position themselves as champions of bringing ‘civilisation’ to third-world countries. One form of that ‘civilising’ role was donned by religious missionaries long ago, who believed the people outside of Christendom needed to be “led to the right path”.

Historical figures like Rudyard Kipling and Winston Churchill have espoused these ideas. The former’s The White Man’s Burden promoted this self-espoused ‘colonial duty’ to civilise colonised societies. Churchill once said, “I do not admit for instance, that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America, or the black people of Australia… by the fact that a stronger race, a higher grade race… has come in and taken their place.” Churchill, who is seen in India as racist and imperialist, is Britain’s – more specifically England’s national hero.

Also Read | With Kamala Harris, Democrats Would Bet Against US History Of Sexism, Racism

More recently, Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary, said in 2019, “We are the guardians of a civilisation that has been developed over millennia… We are the ones who have built the modern world, who have built the West, who have built the European Union. We are the ones who have written the rulebook of the world.” The statement does not only reflect Hungarian Prime Minister’s arrogance but also exposes him as an ignorant fool. Sadly, this arrogance is endemic in the West. 

Western Hypocrisy 

In this same context, the speech made by US President George W. Bush in November 2003 during his official visit to London was interesting. “The United States and Great Britain share a mission: to bring the values of freedom and democracy to the world… We will not be deterred. We will not be defeated. We will bring freedom and civilisation to the world,” he said. 

Bush’s comments came several months after the invasion of Iraq in March 2003. The two “civilised” nations, the US and the UK, had invaded a faraway country to civilise its people by implanting democracy there and imparting Western values. However, getting rid of weapons of mass destruction was the rationale presented to the world. The entire Western media jumped on to the ‘civilising’ narrative, completely disregarding their duty to question the real reason behind the invasion. Ultimately, no weapons of mass destruction were found. It was all a pack of lies, spread by the “most civilised country in the world”.

‘The Greatest, The Most Powerful’

Who can forget the gaffe by President Donald Trump – the commander in chief of the world’s deadliest military force and the President of the most powerful country – when he mistakenly claimed to have met the “President of the Virgin Islands”, not realising it was a U.S. territory? How can we expect Trump to know about the ancient civilisations of India, China, Syria and Egypt, when he isn’t sure of the geography of his own country? And yet, Trump once confidently stated in 2017, “We are the greatest country in the world. If you think about it, we are the greatest. We’re the greatest because of our values, because of our principles, because of our Constitution, because of our system of government, because of our economic system. We’re the greatest because we’re a beacon of hope for the rest of the world.”

Also Read | UK PM “Hurt” After Far-Right Party Campaigner’s Racist Slurs For Him

The West’s superiority complex and its fervid need to civilise others continue to shape attitudes and policies. The challenge is to recognise and dismantle these deep-seated prejudices. While Tuesday’s incident at Manchester Airport may not have the severity of some past events, it still is an example of systemic racism and the West’s inflated self-image poisoning institutions. These issues require continuous scrutiny and action to foster a more equitable society. Indeed, several laws have been passed in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, and things have got better compared to where we stood in the 20th century. But legislation is barely enough. One needs to change the mindset, right from schools and police forces to media houses and private institutions.

(Syed Zubair Ahmed is a London-based senior Indian journalist with three decades of experience with the Western media)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

A local Texas political candidate has been arrested on charges of sending fake racist messages to himself on social media. According to Fox News, Taral Patel, the Democratic candidate for Fort Bend Precinct 3 Commissioner, was arrested by Texas Rangers and is being charged with Online Impersonation and Misrepresentation of Identity.

Mr Patel, a 30-year-old Indian-American, allegedly spent months impersonating supporters of his incumbent rival, Republican Commissioner Andy Meyers. He sent several racist and derogatory comments to himself, to make himself look like a victim of racism.

In September 2023, Mr Patel made a post on Facebook claiming the remarks were examples of the ”deep and misguided fear” among the Republican Party. He also attached screenshots of all the racist remarks to prove it. 

”As your Democratic candidate for County Commissioner, I am always open to criticism of my policy positions and stances on issues. However, when my Republican opponent’s supporters’ decide to hurl racist, anti-immigrant, Hinduphobic, or otherwise disgusting insults at my family, faith community, colleagues, and me – that crosses a line,” he wrote on Facebook.

”These hateful images are from a place of deep and misguided fear – incited by people like former President Donald Trump, and today’s extremist Republican party fear that immigrants are ‘taking their jobs’ and setting out to hurt our communities,” he added. 

An investigation was launched in October 2023 after his rival Andy Meyers asked authorities to look into who was sending Mr Patel the racist messages. Last Wednesday, he was arrested by Texas Rangers on a third-degree felony charge for online impersonation as well as a Class A misdemeanour charge for misrepresentation of identity. He is held on a $20,000 bond for the felony charge and a $2,500 bond for the misdemeanour.

Fort Bend County’s GOP Chair Bobby Eberle said in a statement that the arrest was ”deeply concerning.”

”Whether Republican or Democrat, such tactics should be unequivocally condemned by all who value integrity and accountability in politics,” Mr Eberle said.

Notably, Mr Patel previously served as chief of staff for Fort Bend County Judge KP George from 2018 to 2021, according to his LinkedIn. He also worked for the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division in the Public Integrity Section as deputy finance director for a governor and as a legislative staffer for the Texas House of Representatives.

A Black millionaire and celebrity jewelry consultant has claimed that he was denied entry into a popular London bar, because of his colour Independent reported. Notably, 30-year-old Lamar Berko who has worked with some of the world’s biggest stars including David Beckham, Burna Boy, Steff London, Wizkid, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Joey Essex, accused the establishment of racially profiling him. 

The incident happened last week when the entrepreneur, who runs LB Jewellery, showed up at 100 Wardour Street in Soho, West End, with eight Black friends, but wasn’t allowed to enter. He said that the restaurant gave them conflicting reasons, with one door attendant saying things like there were ”too many men” among them. The group was later told the venue was packed, even though he said the bar was nowhere near capacity.

However, as they stood outside the restaurant, they noted several white people being admitted.

When he told the employee he felt racially profiled, he was told, ”I don’t judge by the race, just by the person.” Mr. Berko even offered to purchase tables worth 10,000 pounds, however, his request was still denied. 

”I didn’t even ask the price of the tables – but this was turned down. What reason would they really have to say no? I wasn’t causing trouble or shouting; I didn’t flare up or swear,” Mr Berko explained. 

Speaking of his brush with racism, he said, ”In my field, I’m used to dealing with racism. In this country, it’s always indirect and never direct. For example, I’ve been stopped by the police so many times for no reason other than the car I drive.”

”But I could not believe my eyes when the staff member took my friends and out of the queue – making everyone look at us as if we were troublemakers – then let in all white people and not us. I haven’t slept; I felt so violated,” Mr Berko added. 

After Mr. Berko’s allegations went viral, several people thronged 100 Wardour Street’s Instagram page and criticised them. The restaurant later posted photographs of Black women in their stories, which many including Lamar Berko felt was making a ”mockery” of the issue. 

A user on one of their posts wrote, ”Racism in 2023! This is extremely disappointing!!! And it seems whoever is running this account fails to see the severity of the issue. Posting black people on your story is a complete mockery.”

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, left, talks with Michael Wilson, right, on the three-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis. File
| Photo Credit: AP

United Nations rights investigators said on September 28 they had found systemic racism against black people throughout the U.S. policing and justice systems, and stressed the need for urgent reform.

In a report following a visit to the United States, they pointed to “the entrenched systemic racism against people of African descent in the United States”.

“(This) legacy of slavery … permeates the entire spectrum of the law enforcement and judicial system.”

Over 12 days in April and May, the team visited five detention centres and held meetings with victims, civic groups, the judiciary, police unions and officials in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York and Washington.

“We heard dozens of heart-breaking testimonies on how victims do not get justice or redress,” investigator Tracie Keesee said.

“This is a systemic issue that calls for a systemic response. All actors involved, including police departments and police unions, must join forces to combat the prevailing impunity.”

The team of independent experts was set up in 2021 — a year after the murder of George Floyd, an African American, by a white U.S. police officer — to investigate racially fuelled police violence worldwide.

Studies showed African Americans in the United States were three times more likely to be killed by police than white people, and 4.5 times more likely to be incarcerated, the experts said. Of the more than 1,000 cases of killings by police each year, only one percent resulted in officers being charged.

They rejected the “bad apple” theory to explain killings and abuse by police.

Instead, “there is strong evidence suggesting that the abusive behaviour of some individual police officers is part of a broader and menacing pattern”, investigator Juan Mendez said.

Attitudes in the U.S. police and criminal justice system reflected attitudes found in U.S. society,” he said, adding there was a “critical need for comprehensive reform”.

The report issued a total of 30 recommendations to the US administration and the 18,000 police agencies across the country.

Among other things, it said armed police officers should no longer be the default first responders in situations like mental health crises, homelessness, traffic control and school discipline.

It also highlighted the systemic racism facing Black police officers and condemned “the appalling over-representation of people of African descent in the criminal justice system”.

It voiced profound concern about cases of Black children being sentenced to life imprisonment and the widespread use of solitary confinement.