SU Summer Elections 2025 – VP Sports Interviews: Nazrana Meghji

As part of the Warwick Students’ Union (SU) Summer Elections, The Boar offered all candidates for the Vice President for Sports election an opportunity to answer questions outlining their manifesto, experiences, and aims for the role. 

Nazrana Meghji, one of the six candidates for the position, discussed her manifesto and aims with The Boar’s News and Sport teams. Meghji began by outlining her three key pledges of “access, balance, and support”, before focusing on pledges such as reducing the Sports Federation fee, working with LGBTQUA+ groups, and tightening risk assessments for sports club socials.

What are your key manifesto pledges? 

My manifesto focuses on three things: access, balance, and support.

For access, as a trustee, I want to push for more funding from the University so we can lower the cost of sport for students. I also want to expand on University of Warwick Women’s Football and Futsal Club (UWWFC)’s second-hand kit schemes across clubs and keep heavily promoting lower-cost options like Rock Ups and Active Leagues, because movement shouldn’t come with a price tag.

Balance is about helping students take part without feeling stretched. I’ll keep pushing for Wednesday afternoon classes to be recordable, and continue regularly spotlighting sports clubs on SU platforms to boost their visibility. Increased fan engagement + increased social media presence = higher sponsorship potential.

Support means making clubs feel more equipped through things like a centralised coaching directory, transparency email templates, and working with Warwick Sport to provide admin support so events like Women’s Night In can happen more than once a year.

An investigation by The Boar earlier this year found that 91% of students find the cost of a Warwick Sports Pass too high. How do you plan to decrease the price of sport at Warwick and make it more accessible to students?

I know how expensive sport can feel, and I don’t like the idea of cost being a barrier to sport. While Warwick Sport fees sit outside the SU’s direct control, I’d use my role as a trustee to push for the University to increase its funding contribution especially to reduce the Sports Federation fee. This would help ease pressure for students already paying for kit, travel, and memberships.

I also want to expand UWWFC’s second-hand kit scheme, where leavers donate kits back to the club to be sold at lower prices, with money reinvested into the team. On top of that, I’d work with Warwick Sport to heavily spotlight low-cost options like Rock Ups and Active Leagues as spaces to move and get involved.

Finally, I want to increase transparency around how SU funding is allocated by sitting down with club leaders and working towards fair, realistic compromises.

How would you seek to support and improve sports clubs performance in both BUCS tournaments and non-BUCS competitions in the year ahead? 

For BUCS teams, performance starts with proper support. I’d introduce a coaching directory to help clubs find qualified coaches more easily, and I’d encourage and assist teams without TWP funding to run their own strength and conditioning sessions using outlines from strength and conditioning (S&C) coaches or other trusted resources. I also know from experience that positive reinforcement and crowd support on the sidelines can massively boost performance, so I’d push for greater visibility and turnout.

For non-BUCS teams, I want to work with Warwick Sport to improve outreach and consistency. This year, the Women and Non-Binary 5-a-side Active League couldn’t go ahead due to low numbers. I’d like to sit down and explore how we can prevent that from happening again. More opportunities to play = more development.

I’d also support volunteer coaching incentives tied to the Warwick Award, so more students can develop and share skills beyond traditional club structures.

One conversation currently being had across campus is about transgender rights and inclusion policies. How would you ensure that trans students continue to be included in sports at Warwick, particularly in light of the recent Supreme Court ruling? And how do you plan to promote diversity and accessibility in sport more widely too?

The journey of understanding one’s gender identity is deeply personal and thoughtful. It’s not a casual decision, and trans students deserve the space to express who they are without being told what they can or can’t do in sport.

Warwick is a student-led university, and I’ll fight to ensure trans students are free to participate in sport here in whatever way feels right to them.

I’d take time to speak with groups like Warwick Pride, Warwick TransSoc, Warwick PLAN, and The (Q)ulture, and others to understand what they want from the SU. Whether it’s exclusive sport sessions or something else, I’m here to listen, not assume.

Finally, Active Bystander training should be compulsory for more than just two execs. Creating an inclusive, safe culture in sport shouldn’t fall on a few, it should be shared across every club.

Sports clubs at Warwick have often been the focus of criticism and scrutiny for dangerous and non-inclusive socials, including circling and ‘initiations’ (adoptions). An investigation for the upcoming Boar print found that 40% of students felt pressured to take part in sports socials, and only 50% had to sign an agreement form before adoptions. How would you ensure that execs create a safe environment for their club members at these events? 

Being part of a club or society means contributing to a culture where everyone feels safe and respected. I’d push to make Active Bystander training compulsory for at least two non-exec members per club, so the responsibility for creating safe environments doesn’t sit with just a few, it’s shared across the whole club.

I’d also tighten risk assessments and event planning packs, ensuring they clearly outline how different needs will be met. That includes normalising sober socials and choices  as a regular part of club life, so no one feels excluded. Clubs should also be required to update emergency contact and allergies and intolerance records by Reading Week in Term 1.

Because here’s the truth: people join sports clubs during all kinds of stages in life. Some are dealing with more than they let on. Clubs should offer community, not pressure, and welfare is how we make sport something that truly supports students.

Communication between the VP Sports and sports clubs and their members is key to ensuring an open and transparent dialogue. How do you plan on ensuring students have a sufficient way of voicing their opinions and problems with you?

I want communication to feel open, consistent, and clear. I’d continue the President’s Forum, it’s a space for clubs to learn from each other and for the SU to better understand their needs.

Drop-ins will stay open to everyone, and because Teams and email can feel overwhelming, I’d keep my campaign Instagram, @Nazforsports (or create a new one if needed), as a quick, informal way for people to reach out, especially if they can’t attend drop-inns.

To reduce confusion, I’d also create a flowchart showing whether to contact the SU or Warwick Sport, while continuing to build stronger communication between both bodies.

At the start of my term, I’d meet one-on-one with each club’s senior exec. Most importantly, I want to be present in every way I can. I want people to know who I am and know that I’m here to work with them, for them.

During the Spring Elections, the sole candidate for the VP Sports position was criticised for having a so-called ‘joke candidacy’. What can you say to the Warwick student community to show your candidacy isn’t a ‘joke’ one, and that you have what it takes to become the next VP Sports? 

Sport has been and always will be a huge part of my life. Throughout school and university, I’ve competed in and captained various sports teams. Even though I chose not to play football competitively here at Warwick, I’ve remained committed to UWWFC socially, having served as the Social Secretary last year.

Leadership, to me, means showing up with empathy, actively listening, and creating spaces where everyone feels like they belong. My manifesto was built by speaking to current and incoming execs across a range of sports clubs to understand what they need from the SU. It reflects real conversations and real needs.

I take responsibility seriously and wouldn’t be running if I didn’t believe I am fit for this role. I see sport as a powerful tool for connection, and I want to leave a positive impact wherever I go. This role is a real opportunity to do exactly that.

You can read Meghji​’s manifesto here. Voting in the SU Summer Elections opened on Monday 26 May, and will remain open until 12pm midday on Friday 30 May, with results published shortly after.