Deputy News Editor
The thing that shines through most in Shereif Kholeif’s manifesto is enthusiasm. Alongside the main duties of the role of Vice President at GUSA, which centre around the organisation of the annual GUSA Ball and general support of the President and other members of the committee, Kholeif promises to deliver additional things if he were to be elected.
Kholeif’s experience as Finance Convener from 2017-18 puts him in good stead to face the challenges of the role, given the “shoestring” budget the GUSA is on (which is no different to the situation with other unions). The 2019 GUSA Ball should be a successful one, were he to become Vice President: he promises to confirm sponsors (both large organisations and smaller ones) before the semester has begun and has already started to identify aspects of the 2018 Ball that could be improved upon, such as ticket allocation and the inclusion of smaller, less established clubs.
On the subject of smaller, less successful clubs, the combination of the lack of sufficient funding and the future influx of new GUSA-affiliated clubs poses a large obstacle for the union to overcome. Yet Kholeif is confident that his background as Finance Convener and his ideas for funding (such as nightclub sponsorship and bake sales) will enable him to assist the future filler of this role, so that enough support is given at these difficult times.
Kholeif’s focus on inclusion extends to the representation and fair treatment of transgender athletes. He claims that the current policies on “transgender athletes and hormone supplementation” are “outdated” and will endeavour to “challenge national governing bodies” on these policies with solid argumentation for a better standard of inclusivity in sport. This is an important and pressing issue in national sport, and one that many are intimidated by. However, Kholeif’s desire to go against the grain and implement real long-term changes in the conditions of sport indicates that he will be as devoted to the role as he says he is in his manifesto.
These promises seem incredibly ambitious and might be difficult to deliver in just one year. However, Kholeif seems confident that he can fulfil them.
