WWW.FARENET.ORG FOOTBALL AGAINST RACISM IN EUROPE FFAREARE ActionAction WeekWeek PhotoPhoto Report EMPICS / Sean Powrie LUFC TheThe UEFA-FAREUEFA-FARE PartnershipPartnership SJPF FanFan EmbassiesEmbassies atat EUROEURO 2004™2004™ inin PortugalPortugal 55thth AnniversaryAnniversary ofof thethe FAREFARE networknetwork Editorial 2 Five years of networking against racism in European football Today, the idea of campaigning against racism in football seems to have become rooted in many European countries. Many clubs, national associations and the international federa- tions UEFA and FIFA have spoken out and taken action against the problem. The anti-racism movement in football has recently been honoured by a number of European-wide awards. But five years ago, in February 1999, when supporter groups, anti-racist NGOs and ethnic minority organisations from 14 Eu- ropean countries came together in Vienna to found the Football Foto: FairPlay/H. Trauner against Racism in Europe (FARE) network, the story was quite FARE kick-off: Fans, migrant & ethnic minority groups and anti- different. Bodo Berg of the Schalker Fan-Initiative echoed the racist campaigners debating at the Vienna Networking conference feelings of many when he said: “The view that racism does not (31 January - 2 February 1999) occur in our stadiums is prevalent among football administrators because a lot of them simply do not know what is happening on a fight against football fans, others went further and made the the terraces and inside the heads of young football fans”. At the equal inclusion of ethnic and migrant minorities in stadiums and FARE founding conference we not only listened to reports on the institutions of football an issue. various racist incidents, but also heard about the widespread FARE was established to act as a decentralised, grass-roots net- neglect of the problem on the part work to facilitate anti-racism action on various levels, ranging of football and public institutions. from the transnational, European dimension to the local football We therefore called upon those club. Thanks to the funding from the European Commission and governing the game to “recognise then the UEFA charity portfolio, the nine FARE project partners that racism and other forms of dis- have been able to keep this initial aim. Nevertheless, the real crimination are a problem in foot- strength of FARE is the host of supporter groups, anti-racism ini- ball”. Over the past five years the tiatives, ethnic-minority groups and clubs and associations in FARE network has been quite suc- more than 25 European countries who consider themselves part Cover Photo: The players of cessful in putting the anti-racism is- of the network. Their continued efforts and actions will make the France pay tribute to the late sue on the agenda of European difference in the long run. Marc-Vivian Foe during the football. While some misunder- Kurt Wachter Confederations Cup final 2003. Foto: Charles Platiau/Reuters stood the fight against racism to be FairPlay-vidc, FARE co-ordination office FACTBOX ON FARE 1996 Four football-based anti- EURO 2000 finals 2002 (April) Second FARE Ac- don is jointly organised by racist projects, in Sheffield, tion Week with 100 events in UEFA, FARE and the English FA London, Bologna and Dort- 2001 (April) First FARE Action 17 countries. 2003 (October) Some 400 ini- mund receive European Com- Week against Racism and Dis- 2002 (October) Third FARE tiatives in 24 countries join the mission (EC) funding crimination in European Foot- ball with 50 events in nine Action Week with more than 4th FARE Action Week. FARE 1997 As part of the “European countries 300 events in 18 countries receives the ‘Jean Kahn Year against Racism”, various Award’ of the European Moni- 2002 (September) Start of a football projects are sponsored 2001 (July) FARE representa- toring Centre on Racism and two-year anti-discrimination by the EC tives speak at the FIFA Confer- Xenophobia (EUMC) project co-funded by the EC ence against Racism in 1999 (February) Establish- 2004 With the FSI network Buenos Aires 2002 (November) FARE re- ment of the FARE network and FARE is running “Fans passing of a FARE plan of ac- ceives the “Free Your Mind 2001 (August) UEFA award Embassies” and anti-racism tion in Vienna Award” at the MTV Europe Mu- their charity cheque of 1 Mil- activities at the UEFA EURO sic Awards in Barcelona 2000 (June) Official launch of lion Swiss Francs to FARE; 2004Tm in Portugal, funded FARE in the European Parlia- FARE becomes a member of 2003 (March) The conference through the UEFA charity part- ment in Brussels before the the UEFA charity portfolio “Unite against Racism” in Lon- nership. 3 FARE Highlights European Anti-Racism prize for FARE In October 2003 the European Monitoring FARE Plan Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) presented FARE with the first Jean Kahn Award for exemplary work to combat racism. of Action The Award comes with 10.000 €, sponsored by the Evens Foundation. FARE‚s innovative Football is the biggest sport in the world work in football which includes raising aware- and belongs to us all. Every individual has ness and educational activities at the grass the unalienable right to participate in foot- Fotos: EUMC/W. Voglhuber Fotos: EUMC/W. roots and European level, particularly ball free of discrimination, regardless of eth- impressed the Jean Kahn Award jury. nic origin, nationality, colour, religion, gen- At the Award ceremony in Vienna, for- der, sexuality or disability - be it as players mer Ghana International and Bundesli- or spectators. ga player Anthony Baffoe accepted the We, members and partners of the first anti- award on behalf of FARE. The patron of racist European football network Football the award, 74 year-old Jean Kahn, was Against Racism in Europe (FARE) affirm our the first chair of the EUMC and presi- commitment to fight racism, xenophobia, dent of the Central Israelite Consistory. nationalism, sectarianism, anti-Semitism and all forms of discrimination in football and through football. We will not tolerate racism in football: ei- ther in the stadiums, on the pitch, in the football administration, in coaching or in Patrick Kluivert and Swedish football education. International Patrik Anders- son present MTV’s Human Rights Award 2002 to FARE. I. We call for football governing Previous 'Free Your Mind bodies and clubs to: Award' Award winner in- K recognise that racism and other forms of clude Amnesty International discrimination are a problem in football and Greenpeace. Foto: Archiv K take responsibility by adopting and pub- lishing anti-racist policies K make full use of the integrative and inter- cultural potentials of football K establish a partnership with all organisa- European Launch of FARE in the Parliament in Brussels in 2000: tions committed to kick racism out of Seesion with (from left) So- football, in particular with supporter erensen (EUMC), Schmidt (DFB), groups, migrants and ethnic minorities Sprengers (KNVB), Crespo K specifically address the issue of the rise (MEP), Swoboda (MEP), Quintin of the extreme right, and their manifes- (DG EMPL), Sudbury (The FA) tations in football stadiums, in Eastern and Batson (PFA). Foto: FairPlay Europe In collaboration with FARE II. We commit ourselves to: and the English FA, UEFA K challenge all forms of racist behaviour in gathered in March 2003 the European football family for the stadiums and in the clubs not remain the “Unite Against Racism” silent when racism occurs conference in London. From K foster the inclusion of ethnic minorities left: Gianfranco Zola (Italy), and migrants on an equal basis within David Dein (Arsenal FC), Mar- our own organisations cel Desailly (France, Chelsea FC), Daniel Conti (FARE / K work together with all organisations who UISP), Ashley Cole (Arsenal are willing to tackle the problem of Foto: UEFA FC) and Paul Elliot (ex-player). racism in football Vienna, 2 February 1999 National co-sponsors of FARE: Action Week 2003 photo report “Action speaks louder than wor FARE saw record participation in the 2003 Action Week against racism and discrimination in football. In 23 countries more than 300 fan groups, clubs, national associations and ethnic minority & migrant organisations got involved in the 4th Action Week between 16 and 28 October. Particularly encouraging was the strong involvement of football govern- ing bodies and the anti-racist initiatives in central and eastern Europe, Ne some of them countries where racism inside football stadiums is at epi- Action demic levels. The involvement of all 92 professional football clubs in 14-26 O England and Wales constituted a highlight of FARE’s efforts to kick racism out of the game. For the first time big clubs from Portugal and 200 the Netherlands joined the FARE campaign. R England: The Blackburn Rovers Education Department presented an anti-racist poster competition at the home match against Q Austria: The FairPlay cam- Charlton Athletic at Ewood Park. paign organised an anti-racist match day event with Grazer AK when they met SV Salzburg. On the vidiwall a FARE spot has been displayed before the match. R Slovakia: ASK Inter B first league teams show before kick-off, an actio People Against Racism Q Austria: Crash-test du Discrimination campaig raise flags “For Diversity tion” during the match G Salzburg. 4th FARE Action Week SEASON 2003/04 R Italy: Apart from the display of anti-racist Semaine d’actions 16 – 28 OCTOBER Settimana d’azione Aktionswoche messages in stadiums, Ultrà fan groups went Tydzie’n Akcji to schools and youth centres for debates about racism and popular fan culture. Football Against P Germany: Fans of 2nd division club LR Ahlen Racism in Europe did a choreography and produced T-shirts with the slogan „Fans and Players Against Racism” Ahlen player Musemestre Bamba joined the action before the match against Photo: Reuters/Jerry Lampen MSV Duisburg.