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How mixed ability sport changed my life

To mark South Asian History Month and this year's theme of ‘Free to be Me’, a coach from International Mixed Ability Sports shares his experience of Mixed Ability rugby and how it helped him become healthier, more independent and to achieve a successful career in sport.

7th August 2024

by Ahsan Sakandar
Trainer, International Mixed Ability Sports

My name is Ahsan and I want to share my story because I want more people to join Mixed Ability sports and be active, especially Asian people.

I was born and live in Bradford. I went to a mainstream school where they said I have a learning disability. I’m also partially deaf with mild cerebral palsy, which affects my balance sometimes.

When I left school, I went to a local college but couldn’t find any work and ended up staying at home every day.

Opening doors for my community

In 2008 I attended an adult class to learn about social skills and I found out about an opportunity to do sport with the Mixed Ability rugby team at a local rugby club.

My mum started to give me lifts there and take me to the training, but after a while I learned to travel independently to the ground.

I was the first Asian player with a learning disability and the first Asian playing rugby union in my community.

Two men play mixed ability rugby on an outdoors pitch on a sunny day.

Mixed Ability rugby is the same as normal rugby, apart from the fact that we don’t push each other in the scrum.

The best thing is that anybody can play.

Players have all sorts of disabilities, or none at all, and we are all teammates. It’s a real mixture of people that sometimes includes friends and family.

Since I started playing, my friend Ahmar – who initially came there to support me – has also started to play and after that, my nephew Sufiyan joined the sport too.

When I started playing Mixed Ability rugby, it was my first time playing any sport and I was a bit nervous and scared.

I was the first Asian player with a learning disability and the first Asian playing rugby union in my community.

I didn’t like getting muddy and all of that, but now I am perfectly fine with it, plus I meet new people.

My health wasn’t good when I first started playing, but I’m fitter and healthier now and I have new skills, I know what I’m doing on a rugby pitch and I have a set routine.

I led my team – the Bumble Bee Barbarians – as a club captain to the first Mixed Ability Rugby World Cup final in Bradford in 2015.

The Bumbles got to the final with my help. I even came up with the name the Bumble Bees to keep the association with the mainstream team, the Bees.

I have been on many tours including France, Spain, Wales, Scotland or Ireland, but I can’t tell you much about this, because ‘what goes on tour stays on tour’.

Taking the sport beyond the pitch

I was asked to join International Mixed Ability Sports (IMAS) as a trainer and expert by experience starting as a volunteer, but then eventually I started to be paid for my work. 

At IMAS we prepare and deliver presentations initially to different rugby clubs but now loads of new sports have started Mixed Ability teams and we now go to colleges, universities and we even train doctors.

For example, we host placements for students, we go into GP practices and train social workers, so they can help people be healthier playing sport.

I also helped make a guidebook for new clubs starting up – which also included videos –  plus other easy read documents and I went to Holland to train their rugby national governing body and did a bit of coaching.

At that time, I was also learning to be a coach with White Rose Rugby Coaching.

I wanted to help people by working with people and I also wanted to have a qualification to work in rugby.

When lockdown came, I did a series of videos with IMAS to share easy ways to do exercise outside in the garden to keep fit and healthy, especially for people with a disability or long-term conditions like diabetes. 

I managed to stay connected with the audience and move the training online and Pandemic Positivity was born.

When it came to do the exams for my coaching qualification I got a scribe and extra time. I was very proud when I passed and this is my highest ever qualification.

White Rose are very pleased with me and now I have a paid job.

I am a qualified coach and can deliver multi-sports to primary and secondary schools, summer camps and sports clubs all over Yorkshire. I have even delivered a few sessions in a prison!

Being a coach makes me feel excited, it’s brilliant and I’m happy with what I’m doing plus I’m more active.

My family is proud of me and my sister and my mum are both very pleased, especially when I won the Coach Core Graduate of the Year Apprenticeship Award.

I want everyone like me to just come and try out Mixed Ability sports because there’s nothing to be scared of.

People at the clubs always welcome you, you meet different people of all abilities, plus it’s fun, you go out socially and make a lot of friends.

I also invite you to follow IMAS on social media – we’re on Facebook, Instagram and on X (formerly Twitter) – to find out what we do and get involved.

Find out more

International Mixed Ability Sports

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