Kenya Police Bullets forward Chris Kach Mulusa was presented with the FIFPRO Player Activism Award by the Kenya Footballers Welfare Association (KEFWA) union after being announced the winner during the General Assembly in South Africa that was held in November.
The 2023 FIFPRO Merit Awards celebrated the remarkable work of players off the pitch, alongside the Union Impact Award which was also bestowed to the player association that launched the best initiative to improve the wellbeing of professional footballers in their country.
The Kenyan forward won the coveted award alongside renowned footballers including the likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal Fc) and Cedric Bakambu (Galatasaray Fc) who emerged second and third respectively.
“It is such a huge honor to win this coveted trophy which came as a surprise after KEFWA nominated me for the awards. I appreciate FIFPRO for recognizing my efforts in championing the rights and welfare of intersex players,” noted Kach while speaking to the media.
KENYAN PLAYER CHRISTINE "KACH" NGOIZI WINS FIFPRO PLAYER ACTIVISM AWARD
The Kenya Police Bullets forward won the Award during the General Assembly in South Africa 🇿🇦
A bonafide KEFWA member, Ngoizi has been an influential voice for intersex footballers.#MeritAwards https://t.co/X91wzL3qaT pic.twitter.com/s8A0krdvEj
— KEFWA (@kefwaofficial) November 24, 2023
Being an influential voice for intersex footballers through Football for Equality programs, the talented attacker is now focused on using the award and recognition to continue her efforts in being a voice for players and other intersex persons, many of whom have been stigmatized and marginalized.
“My focus now is on continuing the activism of intersex players and bringing a voice that will recognize their rights and efforts. Many have been forced to go into hiding due to stigmatization, and I hope that the award will be a motivation to them that speaking out is important,” added Kach.
Besides the trophy, the award also came with a coveted prize of USD 10,000. The recognition came barely weeks after Chris Kach was also honored as the East Africa Intersex Human Rights Defender by Tacef, a testament to her unwavering commitment to safeguarding rights and respect for all through football.
“I think globally the issue of intersex players is not particularly high on the agenda. Many people believe and falsely categorize us under LGBTQIA+ issues without knowing our suffering, which is this unique condition that is inborn. There are many intersex footballers who are not willing to come out and I hope this award will help them to do so,” she noted while speaking to RI Sports.
Intersex individuals are born with variations in their sexual characteristics that don’t fit typical definitions of male or female bodies. These variations can include chromosomes, internal reproductive organs, or external genitalia that don’t align with typical male or female norms.
Intersex is a naturally occurring variation, and it’s estimated that about 1 in 1,500 to 1 in 2,000 babies are born with intersex traits. It’s important to note that being intersex is distinct from a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Some intersex individuals may identify as male, female, or non-binary.
