Why I . . . play football

Abstract

GP trainee Asif Khapedi tells Kathy Oxtoby how playing football helps him stay connected with his community Asif Khapedi, a GP trainee in London, is a fan of the “beautiful game.” He watches and plays football with former school friends and doctor colleagues, finding the twice weekly games “a release” from the pressures of training. “Being able to switch off, even temporarily, helps me to get my energy back up for when I need to go back into work,” he says. “The day after a really hard shift or a block of on-calls, knowing I can just do something for me, without having to take responsibility, helps settle my nerves and the adrenalin I’m feeling after working a large number of hours. Football gets rid of all that stress and tension.” Khapedi has loved football for as long as he can remember. Growing up in east London he became a supporter of his …