Breaking Through the White Ceiling

Vimal Yoganathan, South Asian Representation, and Football’s Unspoken Racial Hierarchies

Vimal Yoganathan’s debut for Barnsley, highlighted by his two-goal performance, represents more than just a personal victory. His success shines a light on the severe underrepresentation of *South Asians* in English football, where they make up 7% of the UK population but only 0.3% of professional footballers.

There are two important nuances to consider regarding the South Asian population in football. Firstly, a significant portion of this population consists of adult immigrants, who typically do not enter professional sports due to their age upon arrival. Secondly, there has been some positive progress, with a 29% growth in the number of South Asian players in recent years, although this remains a small fraction relative to their overall representation in the UK.

For South Asian players, Yoganathan’s story is an outlier, illustrating the deeply embedded systemic and cultural barriers that continue to block progress in a sport dominated by white coaches and management.

Systemic racism?

The reality is stark: while 43% of Premier League players are Black, over 95% of football coaches in the English Football League (EFL) and Premier League are white. This imbalance isn’t just about lack of representation on the pitch; it’s an institutional issue that permeates every level of the sport. South Asians like Vimal face an almost insurmountable glass ceiling—an industry where even breaking into the professional level as a player is rare, let alone rising to managerial positions. The FA’s efforts to address these disparities have largely resulted in token gestures, rather than the structural reforms necessary to create a level playing field.

Vimal is one of very few South Asian players to break through, but his journey speaks volumes about how difficult it is to challenge the status quo. Other players, like Yan Dhanda, have spoken out about the racism and exclusion they’ve faced, calling for greater support and visibility. These examples show that Vimal’s success is the exception, not the rule.

Internalized racism and cultural stereotypes

The barriers aren’t just institutional—they’re also cultural. Internalized racism plays a significant role, particularly within South Asian communities. Football is not typically viewed as a viable career path, often overshadowed by professions like law or medicine. This perception limits the number of South Asian players pursuing football seriously. These attitudes are compounded by external stereotypes that pigeonhole South Asians as more suited for sports like cricket. Breaking these cultural norms is essential for fostering future generations of South Asian footballers. Visibility is crucial because, as the saying goes, “You can’t be what you can’t see.”

Football’s Institutional Racism: Unspoken Hurdles

Despite campaigns like Kick It Out, football is still grappling with deeply ingrained systemic racism. Racism in football today isn’t always overt; it’s structural & invisible (this was once quoted to me in a tweet as to why not South Asians kids were playing in a children production in predominantly Asian Leceister). Players from minority backgrounds often have to work twice as hard to be recognized. Nathan Ellington, a former Premier League player, has talked openly about how institutional racism stymies minority players’ progress both on and off the field. The dominance of white culture within football clubs, from leadership to locker rooms, limits the opportunities for minority players to thrive, and this isn’t limited to just playing—it affects coaching and managerial tracks too (which are essentially for long-term earning potential & career prospects).

One could argue that the Premier League is English but that’s not entirely true. The Premier League, as the world’s most-watched football league, with a global reach of 1.87 billion people and viewership spanning 189 countries, does hav a responsibility to ensure diverse representation, where it can. Its influence is vast, with strong followings in regions like Asia, the Americas, and Africa. Given its social media dominance and fan base growth, the Premier League must prioritize inclusivity both on the pitch and in leadership roles to reflect its global audience.

Conclusion: What’s Next for Football?

Vimal Yoganathan’s success represents progress, but the fact that he is one of the very few South Asians in professional football highlights just how far the sport still has to go. The overrepresentation of white coaches, the systemic racism embedded in the structures of the sport, and the internalized barriers within South Asian communities all contribute to this culture of silence and invisibility.