Birmingham brothers using sport to steer kids from crime

Sep 27 2009 by Alison Dayani, Sunday Mercury

THEY were the Birmingham brothers who escaped from tough inner city streets through sport.

Now British thai boxing champ Kaish Banger and his former national wrestling champion sibling Kam are using their passion to divert other youths from a potential life of crime.

Kaish, 33, and Kam, 26, set up the CHAMPIONS Project to encourage teenagers in schools across Aston, Lozells, Erdington and Handsworth to turn to wrestling rather than local gangs. And the pair, who run Team Fearless gym in Hockley, have already scored a resounding success with one youngster – 17-year-old Ibraheem Khan who won the junior British champion wrestling title this year.

The teenager, from Erdington, is now tipped to represent Great Britain in the 2012 London Olympics with the possibility of clinching a sought-after medal.

“We both grew up in Handsworth but sport channelled us and it builds character,” said Kaish, who also is a learning mentor at Kingsbury School and Sports College in Erdington.

“We wanted to get children away from crime and around positive influences and that’s why we have targeted disadvantaged suburbs in inner city Birmingham.

“Ibraheem is just one of our successes and we think he is going to be a big star in the future.

“There are lots of other young people coming through too who are winning competitions. That’s extremely rewarding to see.”

Kaish and Kam encourage youngsters to use the ethos of CHAMPION: Calm, Hardworking, Assertive, Modest, Perseverance, Integrity, Optimistic and Never give up.