"There was no one like me on the slopes when I started'

Skiing has never been the most diverse of sports, but a range of bodies is helping it change for the better, says Rebecca Miles

- Rebecca Miles

WHEN Malika Khan got the chance to try skiing on a dry slope with her local youth group, she grabbed it with both hands but she couldn't help but notice the lack of diversity.

"As a young Muslim woman who wears a hijab, there was no one like me when I started," says the 21-year-old from Sparkhill in Birmingham, who believes that the prevailing stereotype of a skier in Britain that of a white, wealthy, middle-aged man - has a big part to play in this. "Being part of an Asian community, I never thought I'd get the opportunity to do something like this." The stats support Malika's experience.

The latest research into participation (carried out by GB Snowsport, the UK's governing body for snowsports, in 2021) reveals that the average skier is far from representative of the population in terms of age, ethnicity, affluence or even disability.

Fortunately, a raft of organisations and businesses are working hard to turn that image on its head, making the sport more accessible for all.