Race row over award for Beckham

David Beckham is today at the centre of an astonishing race row.

The controversy surrounds the naming of the England captain as sports personality of the year at the Ethnic Multicultural Media Awards (Emmas).

Some prominent black and Asian personalities have condemned his award as an insult to ethnic minority people.

But the founder of Emmas, Bobby Syed, says their response is "anti-white" racism and could fuel racial tension.

Mr Syed has asked the Commission for Racial Equality to investigate. He said: "David Beckham is a role model and a superb ambassador for anti-racism.

"Racism just doesn't mean insults to black and Asian people, we must not let anti-white remarks go without challenge."

The row follows last week's ceremony when Beckham, 29, was named jointly with Arsenal's Thierry Henry as sports personality. Among the white figures honoured were Vanessa Feltz, Tom Cruise and Greg Dyke.

Feltz said she was not sure whether she had received her award because she was Jewish or because she was "going out with a beautiful black man".

Members of the audience booed when some of the white stars' names were announced as winners in various categories.

Piara Powar, director of the Kick It Out campaign, which works alongside the Football Association to rid football of racism, said: "It's an insult to those of us who are from an ethnic minority or who are black.

"The way he (Beckham) defines himself, as a young, urban, hip lad, does not make him an ethnic minority. I can see how it gives the awards publicity, but I don't see how it helps encourage youngsters from ethnic minorities. I don't think he'll understand why he's got it."

Director Gurinder Chadha, who made Bend It Like Beckham, slammed the awards to white stars, adding: "Where are all the brothers?"

Actress and writer Meera Syal, who presented an award to Art Malik, said white personalities should only be recognised at the Emmas when awards for Baftas and Oscars properly decorated black and Asian talent.

It was this reaction that prompted Mr Syed to request a CRE investigation.

He said: "Some people just want to live in the ghetto mentality." He added: "I thought the remarks from Gurinder were a bit rich.

"I reminded her she had made a film about a Punjabi girl heroworshipping-David Beckham. It also angered me that Kick It Out, which is supposed to encourage anti-racism, could describe Beckham's award as an insult.

"That really went very low. Players like David Beckham and Michael Owen have openly criticised racism, particularly chants from the terraces.

"David Beckham has embraced black culture, agreed to let an ethnic director make a film based on him and through that has done a lot against racism.

"The Emmas are not given on the basis of a person's skin.

"They are for people who have promoted multi-culturalism through their work.

"Multicultural British society cannot be defined through race but only through culture, hence the Emmas only reflects professional excellence and multicultural advancement." He said the CRE had agreed to investigate.