This is especially so after the latest terrorist atrocity in Manchester last week.

Yet arguably the highest profile Muslim in British sport has never been afraid to put his head above the parapet and speak out in total condemnation of those who defile the name of his religion.

So it seems shameful that Amir Khan, who became Britain's youngest-ever Olympic boxing medal winner, with a silver in Athens back in 2004, and subsequently went on to be a professional world champion, admits that it now scares him to walk the streets with his toddler daughter for fear of a some sort of reprisal.

Appearing in a television interview on Good Morning Britain in the wake of the appalling suicide bombing at the Manchester Arena, where he has boxed several times, Khan has spoken out to condemn the horrific attack, saying it was "twisting Islam".

He said: "We all need to stick together, we are going through such a tough time now.

"I know people are pointing the finger at Muslims but are we really sure they are Muslims?

"This is something that is really against our religion.

"If these people are saying that they are doing it because of Islam I really believe that's not true.

"They are twisting Islam and making it worse for everybody."

Amir - father to two-year-old Lamaisah - added he was worried about her future amid a potential backlash towards Muslims.

"It worries me for my little girl and what people are saying to her and pointing the finger, saying 'you're a Muslim,'" he said

"It scares you. I'm a Muslim myself and I never want to be looked at... if I go on the bus or the train with somebody, I don't want them looking at me saying, 'we don't want to be on the same train as you'.

"I'm a little bit scared myself walking the streets with my little girl because I know anything can happen.

"I go to the mosques and walk the streets of Manchester, I'm sure people know that.

"It definitely worries me because, at the end of the day, I've got a little girl and you can just see as time goes on it's only getting worse and worse.

"And it worries me that one day when she goes to school, people are going to be pointing a finger at her and thinking 'you're Muslim' and it gives all Muslims a bad name."

Twenty-two people died, mostly women and youngsters, and 59 were injured when Salman Abedi, aged 22, detonated a homemade device packed with nuts and bolts in the Manchester Arena foyer as thousands of young people left a concert by the American pop star Ariana Grande.

Khan also urged other members of the Muslim community to report anything suspicious they may hear or see.

"Muslims have to stick together," he said. "It doesn't say anything about killing innocent people in the Quran. It is wrong. This is something we are all against and more can be done to stop these people.

"If you hear something, go to the police and report it."

The Bolton-born former World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation light-welterweight champ once insisted to me: "I am proud of being British and anyone who lives here has to have respect whatever your religion. There's no place for extremism here."

It has taken even more bravery than is needed to climb into the ring for Khan, as a devout Muslim, to denounce the extremist barbarity which has now brought slaughter to the streets in the perverted name of religion.

It required courage still for him to travel to strife-torn Peshawar in Pakistan to help inspire the rebuilding of the school in which 132 children were among those massacred by militant Islamist gunmen.

He has always fearlessly distanced himself, and by association some of his Muslim community, from terror and atrocity.

But sadly he is rare among Muslim sports personalities who are prepared to do as Muhammad Ali did and publicly condemn acts of terrorism.

Long before his death, The Greatest declared: "It saddens me that human beings are suffering and dying at the hands of violent extremists. I send my deepest condolences to their families. Islam does not support terrorism."

Khan insists: "There are many good Muslims, a lot more than the handful that are bad.

"I was as shocked and appalled as anyone by what has happened, as I was with the London bombings in 2005, which I condemned at the time. I have never been afraid to speak out in situations like this, yet I know others have."

I have never understood why Khan is not better loved or appreciated in Britain where he has been a much undervalued conduit for community relations and racial harmony.

Khan has supported various charities, like the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), National Literacy Trust, and the Great Ormond Street Hospital.

He also raised money for Indian Ocean tsunami victims and in December 2013 he hosted a fund-raising dinner to support Islamic Relief's Philippines Appeal in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, raising £83,400 ($107,000/€96,000).

He has done work for Oxfam, helping to deliver aid to communities in Kashmir and Pakistan as well as flood-hit Cumbria.

Through the Amir Khan Foundation he provides hands-on support for projects in countries around the world and is currently working on building an orphanage in Gambia.

Yet he remains unhonoured, not even a measly MBE.

At 30, Khan is now at the crossroads of his career and has been through turbulent times of late, including the loss of his world titles, being knocked cold when he moved up to middleweight to bravely challenge the indomitable Mexican Saul "Canelo" Alvarez a year ago, followed by the  bitter feud with his once supportive family - or rather, the family he so generously supported - and most of his huge entourage.

And last weekend a prospective blockbuster of a showdown with domestic rival Kell Brook became devalued when Brook was badly beaten in his world welterweight title defence against the Americann Errol Spence Jr.

Understandably, he now says: "Everything I have to do is the right move, everything I do is for the benefit of me. One more big title win. Then I can call it in. Two more years."

"It's like a yo-yo," he added to The Independent. "I'm down but on my way back up. I want to end on top."

Surely he deserves at least that.