Club and Sonny recognised in Football Reputation Awards

We are delighted to announce that the Club and Heung-Min Son have been recognised in the 2022 Football Reputation Awards by the World Sport Association.

The independent, non-profit organisation encourages global co-operation to promote the positive influence professional sport and its athletes can have on humanity.

The annual Football Reputation Awards recognise Clubs, players and ex-players who have led the way over the past 12 months in setting an example in raising awareness of the potential for sport to influence positive change in society.

Three awards are given out every year – one each for a Club, player and former player – decided in an independent vote by players, legends, coaches, referees, executives and journalists from around European football.

All three awards are judged across 10 categories, including setting a positive example for society, promoting peace, sustainability and healthy living and opposing discrimination, inequality and poverty.

Tottenham Hotspur is recognised in the Club category, with a focus on the following areas of work:

• The Club has been named the Premier League’s greenest by the UN-backed Sport Positive for the past three years running. As a signatory of the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework, the Club is committed to halving its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and becoming net zero by 2040
• Our stadium is providing a catalyst for the regeneration of North Tottenham, which sits within the top 10% of the most deprived neighbourhoods in England. In creating a new sport and entertainment destination for London, the Club has:
• Contributed around £300m to its local economy every year, driving an increased number of visitors to the area through a range of major events and attractions
• Delivered more than 4,000 jobs for local residents across a range of industries
• Developed a leading Sixth Form College – the London Academy of Excellence Tottenham – prioritising the brightest students from the most challenging socio-economic backgrounds, sending 75% of its students to Russell Group Universities and over 30 to Oxbridge
• Brought historic listed buildings back to life – revitalising the neighbourhood and creating new premises for its charitable Foundation, the OOF art gallery and Beavertown
• Facilitated the delivery of 400 new homes – 70% of which are affordable
• The Club works to address poverty on its doorstep through an ongoing fundraising campaign for Tottenham and North Enfield Foodbanks, which also benefit from regular donations of items made by players, staff and fans. The Tottenham Hotspur Foundation delivers school holiday activity on the stadium campus to engage local families in free sport and fitness activity while providing a free lunch for participants missing out on a meal they would normally receive at school during term time
• Tottenham Hotspur stands against discrimination in all its forms, promoting diversity and inclusion across everything it does. The Club last year achieved ‘Advanced’ level in the Premier League Equality Standard and has supported the establishment of fan groups representative of its diverse fanbase, including Spurs REACH, the Proud Lilywhites and SpursAbility
• The Club is able to illuminate its iconic stadium in support of major social causes, including an annual rainbow illumination in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and, in March 2022, a matchday illumination in the colours of Ukraine, alongside a powerful on-pitch performance from a local youth choir, to convey a message of peace

Accepting the award on behalf of the Club, Chairman, Daniel Levy, said: “As a Club driven by using its unique appeal to create life changing opportunities and special moments for the millions we engage on a daily basis, it is with great pride that we accept this award. We should like to thank the World Sport Association and its members in recognising the tremendous amount of work that goes on behind-the-scenes at our Club to make a positive impact on the lives of our staff, fans, neighbours and our environment.”

Heung-Min Son has been recognised in the Player category having been named ‘Best Footballer in Asia’ for the past six years running and winning the 2021/22 Premier League Golden Boot – inspiring a generation of young footballers in his homeland of South Korea and across Asia.

Away from football, Sonny was last year named as the United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) Global Goodwill Ambassador, using his influence and worldwide popularity to shine a spotlight on the plight of the millions affected by food poverty, while inspiring global commitment and action to end hunger. 

He said: “As a professional footballer I have always been aware of the role I can play in using my platform to support causes that I am passionate about and bring joy to people’s lives through football. I am therefore extremely proud to receive this recognition – which means a huge amount to me and my family - and would like to thank the World Sport Association for giving me this award.”

Awards were presented by the President of the World Sport Association, Thomas Di Gianantonio.

To find out more about the Football Reputation Awards, visit https://footballreputation.com/