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In this special guest feature, Sheena Mobberley of the Women in Football Membership Committee reflects on the Hindu festival of Holi and how the concepts that it celebrates have been a guiding light in her professional and personal journeys.

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Holi, the Hindu festival of colours, is often described as a celebration of light, renewal, and the triumph of good over evil. At its heart, Holi is about breaking barriers, dissolving old divisions, challenging expectations, and stepping into new beginnings with courage and joy.

A vibrant two-day festival at the onset of spring, Holi is marked by bonfires, coloured powders (gulal), and water play, signalling the arrival of a new season. The first night, Holika Dahan, centres around the lighting of bonfires to symbolise the burning away of negativity. The following day becomes a carnival of colour, where people throw powder, spray water, and share traditional sweets, a joyful reminder of connection, acceptance, and fresh starts.

Although Holi began in India, it is now celebrated globally, carried by the Hindu diaspora and embraced by diverse communities. From festivals to community gatherings, to parks and cultural events all over the world, Holi becomes a powerful expression of togetherness, forgiveness, renewal, and hope.

Having celebrated Holi throughout my life, to me its meaning extends far beyond the colours in the air. For me, it has always been a reminder that identity is something to be embraced, not softened or hidden – and that sometimes you must fight for your place in spaces that were never designed with you in mind. As an East African Indian and an Asian woman in sport, that message has shaped every stage of my journey. Even in an all-girls school, I wasn’t allowed to play basketball. Barriers were placed in the way, rooted in stereotypes, assumptions, and an unspoken belief about what girls were ‘supposed’ to do.

But a small group of us refused to accept no as the final answer. We pushed back, challenged the rules, negotiated for opportunities, and made ourselves visible. For some, sport was just a pastime – but for us it was an outlet, a support system and a lifeline.

Sport has had a significant impact on who I am today. It taught me discipline, teamwork, and helped me build confidence. It gave me an outlet during difficult times and showed me how to rise every time I fell. Whether I was breakdancing, practising martial arts, playing basketball, or finding my path in the professional world, those experiences helped me develop the qualities that have carried me through life: resilience, courage, and community. These are the same qualities at the heart of Holi, a festival rooted in resilience, unity, and the courage to keep moving forward with hope, no matter what barriers we face.

Today, as a mother, I try to pass these lessons on to my daughters, teaching them to stand confidently in who they are and to take up space with joy and courage. I also carry that same spirit into my work in football. I support clubs to increase diversity, improve recruitment pathways, and open doors for people who were once told there wasn’t space for them. Representation doesn’t happen by accident – it’s achieved through intention, persistence, and the belief that meaningful change is not just possible but necessary.

This is where Holi and Women in Football connect. Women in Football represents visibility, empowerment, and solidarity. WIF champions the idea that women’s voices – especially from underrepresented backgrounds – deserve to be heard, valued, and placed at the centre. Holi represents renewal, courage and colour. Together, they remind us that identity shouldn’t be a barrier to participating in football.

And this is the message I want women and girls to take from my story. You don’t have to wait for permission to belong. If the world doesn’t give you the space you deserve, build it. Claim it. Step into it with confidence – because sometimes belonging has to be created through persistence, community, and pride in who you are. My hope is that this carries the same symbolism Holi always has: that colour has no boundaries, joy has no hierarchy, and every woman in football deserves to take up space exactly as she is.

Holi teaches us to begin again with courage. Women in Football shows us we are not alone. And my journey proves that sometimes the first step to inclusion is refusing to accept exclusion. Because we don’t need permission to belong – we already do.

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