Europe unites against discrimination in football
Football People action weeks are biggest social project in sport
One of the biggest social projects in sport kicked off yesterday (Wednesday 12 October), heralding action in 40 European countries over the next two weeks with support from UEFA President Michel Platini.
The Football People Action Weeks will feature activities in football by fans, community groups, players, clubs and local authorities in a united stand against discrimination and a celebration of the diversity of the European game.
The activities, run by members of the FARE Network, will feature exhibitions, panel discussions, fan choreographies, football tournaments and for the first time, a flash mob. All activities will be geared towards tackling exclusion and sending out an anti- discrimination message.
Weekend highlights
Highlights of action during this weekend will include activities at top- level matches in Austria, England, France, Greece, Germany, Poland, Scotland, Switzerland, Slovakia, Spain and Wales.
At the grassroots level, activities that support the Roma community will take place across Eastern and Central Europe, with ethnic and national minorities and their place within football also be the theme of actions across the continent.
Other highlights include:
• In Poland the Association of Former Players will be holding a ‘Poland for All’ event with young with the Never Again Association and the Polish Foreign Ministry
• The Policy Centre will organise a flash mob with residents from Bucharest re-creating a famous match of the Romanian national team of the 1980’s to highlight the role of ethnic minorities in the development of football
• In the Balkans the BAAP project will support activities in Macedonia and Serbia in addition to activities in Croatia led by the White Angels fan group of NK Zagreb
• Activities against homophobia will take place in England, Croatia, Macedonia, France and Germany.
• In Spain a high-level conference on inclusion and education featuring national coach Vincent Del Bosque, Freddie Kanoute and FA President Villar Ilona will be organised in Malaga by Foundacion ExtraTime
Next week matches of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League (18/19 and 20 October) will be themed as part of the Action Weeks with activities at 40 games.
Platini support
UEFA President Michel Platini offered his support for the campaign, “I am proud to be part of the ‘Football People’ campaign which highlights UEFA' s commitment to tackling discrimination in football in partnership with the FARE network for over 10 years.
“We have worked side by side the FARE network on what is a central pillar in European football and will continue to strive towards a respect for diversity in the game.”
Piara Powar, Executive Director of the FARE network said, “In a year in which we have again seen incidents of racist and homophobic abuse in football in many countries the action weeks carry the message that we must step up to tackle discrimination and exclusion.
“The Football People theme celebrates the contribution we all make to football, wherever we live, whatever our connection to the game or our background.”
Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o, formerly of FC Barcelona and Inter Milan now at Russian club Anzi Makhachkala and Cameroon, said, "It is something that has affected me personally. I think players, leaders, and the media have to join forces so that no one feels looked down upon because of discrimination. We are all humans, everyone’s blood is the same colour.”
Notes to editors
• For further information contact +44 20 7193 0156 or info@farenet.org
• FARE is a network of groups established in 1999, which includes fans, community and NGO groups, player unions and football associations
• The core mission of the network is to tackle discrimination and social exclusion, within football and in society. Discrimination on the grounds of racism and homophobia are core concerns with abuse inside stadiums and the lack of diversity in high level positions a key area of activity
• FARE is a social responsibility partner of UEFA
• Full details of the Action Weeks activities are available on www.farenet.org
Piara Powar
Executive Director | FARE
T: +44 207 193 0156
www.farenet.org
Tags: