UY Season 2. Episode 2: Role modelling for positive change in sport with Shakiba Moghadam.

Shakiba Moghadam is a 3rd year Sport Psychology Doctorate student at the University of Portsmouth. Her research focuses on the mental health literacy of women rugby players and more broadly, the involvement of women athletes in male dominated sports.

Shakiba holds a BSc in Psychology and a MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology. Shakiba also works as a research associate with the University of Portsmouth’s Cybercrime Awareness clinic and is one of the University’s BAME ambassador pushing to shine more light on the refugee and displaced student population.

Aside from her studies and work, Shakiba co-owns a private training facility in Southampton called Move Training Centre, which focuses on using bodyweight training, conditioning and mobility to build strength and to keep active. Much of Shakiba’s work within the facility has been with senior citizens diagnosed with physical conditionings such as arthritis and obesity. Shakiba’s work is focused on using physical activity and mobility as a tool to manage such conditions.

Shakiba is also a keen adventurer and has tried her hands at ultra-running, mountain running and adventure racing. As well as her running competitions, Shakiba is a former amateur boxing of 3 years and has secured various titles such as becoming ranked within the top two nationally in her category, boxing at the notorious York Hall and gained the Southern region title in 2015.

Her dedication and achievements in boxing were recognised by her University and she was awarded the prestigious Purple’s Sporting Award, which is awarded to only three students annually. Shakiba recently featured on season 5 of Channel 4’s most gruelling show, SAS: Who Dares Wins and became one of the finalists by reaching the interrogation phase, and officially the smallest person to be featured on the show. As a result of her involvement in SAS: Who Dares Wins, Shakiba is now working alongside former special forces personnel, Jason ‘Foxy’ Fox and Matthew ‘Ollie’ Ollerton as an athlete representing their revolutionary Battle Ready 360 fitness and wellbeing venture.

In this podcast Shakiba answers what challenges she found in boxing, why she pursued researching mental health literacy for female rugby players and we touch upon numerous pressures from society. This includes discussions on why some family members don't understand certain professions and may stop you pursuing your passion in sport.

Shakiba also discusses why language and education is important around sensitive topics such as BAME. That there should be information sharing without blocking people (especially on social media) who don’t agree with your values or morals, but to look to understand those against your own opinions provides valuable feedback into future conversations.

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