Fussball-WM Blog

On 28 June 2006, FIFA launched a series of high profile anti-racism activities at each quarter-final of the World Cup. The initiatives include declarations by team captains to combat racism and a call on broader society to support this aim. The EUMC very much welcomes these statements of intent and joins the call to broader society to engage actively with football authorities and anti-racism organisations in their society to turn these words into effective action. The EUMC together with the German Government, the United Nations, the European Parliament, and the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) network had previously called for strong and visible action during the tournament as a kick off to much wider and sustainable action, and asked for a special day on racism.

The EUMC supports FIFA’s action and its commitment to end the blight of racism in football. Action against racism must not be knocked out at the quarter-final stage, but continue, be coordinated, be sustainable and build on the good practice of clubs and their National Associations.

After the euphoria of the World Cup has ended, Black people, Roma, people of various ethnic minority backgrounds in Europe will still face the same obstacles of racism and xenophobia in their daily lives. These are the same people joining in the celebrations, agony and excitement of watching their teams perform at the World Cup. The World Cup in Germany has demonstrated that Europe can celebrate its diversity in a spirit of solidarity, fairness and respect for each other.

The EUMC underscored the power of sport and its impact on behaviour and attitudes. Sport can make a difference and the governing bodies of football have a responsibility and duty to ensure that difference has a positive impact on society. A limited number of football clubs and national associations have taken up this challenge and are doing impressive and influential work in their communities to promote racial equality. The football family needs to learn from them and build on their successes.

The EUMC itself will publish a template on action to promote racial equality and combat racism at the club and National Association level later in 2006. It will build on good practice and be made available to football clubs and National Associations.

The EUMC calls on the football authorities and their clubs to undertake the following action as part of the coordinated and sustainable work to promote racial equality and combat racism:

   1. Establish a database of good practice to promote racial equality and combat racism in football coordinated by national and European level football authorities;
   2. Establish a train-the-trainers programme to promote racial equality and combat racism at the European and national level;
   3. Designate or establish a National Racial Equality coordinator located in National Associations of football;
   4. Set up cooperation mechanisms between Football’s international governing bodies, National Associations, clubs and local authorities targeting grassroots initiatives aimed at awareness raising, youth, education and culture;
   5. Establish a monitoring and reporting mechanism in close cooperation with Racial Equality bodies and the policing authorities.

The activities are timely as a spate of recent events in Europe over the past year has shown that the spectre of racism still haunts the sport.