Zahui amazes with inspirational speech at Swedish Television awards ceremony

STOCKHOLM (FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2019) - Sweden standout Amanda Zahui has made people sit up and take notice off the court, after an emotional and impactful speech at an awards ceremony.

The WNBA and EuroLeague Women star was the recipient of an SVT (Swedish Television) Sports Motivation Award in recognition of how she has given so much back to basketball. 

The Sopron Basket center impressed the judging panel with her contribution to the 'Basket Garis in Varby' project which is aimed at getting young girls to play, in a suburb of Stockholm where very few young people are participating in sports.

Zahui has been using her appeal and popularity at the grass roots level to try and make positive changes - and now increasing her impact via an amazing and inspirational speech. One which will have resonated with those who rightly use her as role model.

She stated: "Thank you very much, it is a great honor to receive this prize. Thank you also for believing in women's basketball in Sweden, thank you for highlighting us, so that you push people to believe in us - thank you very much.

"But this award does not just represent me. This prize represents all of us who have been denied because of our skin color, our religion, our accent, sexual orientation and gender. This prize represents all the young women and adults who have been told that they do not have their own dreams.

"This prize represents the little boys and men who have been told that their dreams do not count. This prize also represents all of us who are asking day in and day out that bullying, racism and evil will die out.

"This prize is for Noel Filen-Hammarstrom who openly and courageously took one step closer to living his true self. This prize is for all of us who are too thick, too long, too black, too dark, for girls and for boys, for us who are different. God loves us because we are different.

"So, to all of you who do not know how, dare or can stand for their own rights and what you are passionate about – I stand here for you.  For all of you who stand up for your rights and show that we can spread love – I stand here with you," she concluded.

Zahui will be one of the leading lights for Sweden when they make their return to FIBA Women's EuroBasket this summer, having missed out on the 2017 edition.

FIBA