Craig Foster explains why he will never stop using sport to make the world a better place

Former Socceroos captain Craig Foster believes in the power of sport more than most. For him, using sport as a way to make the world a better place and as a weapon in the

fight for human rights is not negotiable — it is just a part of the way things should be. Foster, who was recently named New South Wales' Australian of the Year, opened up

on ABC Grandstand about what inspired his tireless work using sport to advocate for the oppressed. "Sport, as you mature, you recognise it gives you a platform," he told

Grandstand. "And the question for all of us in sport is, how do we use that, if at all?" "Do we just cover multiple World Cups, travel the world and have a great

time? "Or do we try and use it for other people who lack that opportunity, who lack that privilege? That's what I've always tried to do. "When I grew up [in Lismore in

northern NSW], people used to put the hand to the wheel in whatever respect it was needed in the community.  "That was a really strong aspect of what I saw in the culture of

regional, country Australia, and I've carried that right through my life." Foster's fight is not always easy, especially in the modern, global sporting landscape. The

recent FIFA World Cup in Qatar forced football fans into a moral compromise, given the Middle Eastern nation's poor record on women's and LGTBQI rights. But Foster believes

shining a light on these situations and using them to build a better future is vital in creating social progress through sport. "It's really difficult, but it's important

that we continue to keep having the conversation," he said.