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17th October 2006

FARE Action Week kicks-off today

FARE - Unite Against Racism Tonight UEFA’s flagship club competition, the Champions League, will kick-off the 7th Action Week. Europe's top football stars will help to spread the message too as they stand united against racism. All 32 teams taking part in the UEFA Champions League will show their opposition to racism as part of UEFA's contribution to the FARE Action Week.

United against racism
Activities will include the captains of all the teams wearing Unite Against Racism armbands, player-escort children sporting Unite Against Racism T-shirts, announcements being made to fans in stadiums over the loudspeaker calling for opposition to all forms of racism, and Unite Against Racism adverts being placed in matchday programmes as well as the official UEFA Champions League magazine Champions.

During the 16 games of match day 3 more than 500.000 fans will directly be reached with an anti-racism message. Participating clubs such Galatasaray SK and AS Roma promote the FARE Action Week on their web-sites.

UEFA president is committed
The UEFA president, Lennart Johansson, welcomed the Action Week and called upon anyone in the football world who has not yet taken a stand against racism to join the fight.

"UEFA", said Lennart Johansson, "is proud to be backing the FARE Action Week against racism and discrimination. We appreciate the opportunity to underline our unwavering commitment to eradicating racism in our game. We know that racism can’t be beaten in a single week, but we hope these activities will be a catalyst that engages more and more members of the football family in the fight against racism and discrimination."

UEFA proud backers
"UEFA is proud to be backing FARE Action Week against racism and discrimination," said UEFA President Lennart Johansson. "We appreciate the opportunity to underline our unwavering commitment to eradicating racism in our game. We know racism can't be beaten in a single week, but we hope these activities will be a catalyst that engages more and more members of the football family in the fights against racism and discrimination."

Unique coming together
Piara Powar, the director of FARE's UK partner Kick It Out, added: "As a unique coming together of the football family - from fan groups, migrants and ethnic minorities, to the biggest clubs in the game - the FARE Action Week is a statement as to the type of sport we all want to be involved with. The importance of an inclusive and discrimination-free game that actively reaches out to all communities is our goal. With the support of UEFA we know these ends are achievable."

Fight racism, celebrate football
From 17 to 30 October the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) network is launching for the seventh time the European Action Week against Racism and Discrimination in Football. More than 600 groups in 37 countries will take part. The emphasis for this season is to call for creative action for the inclusion of ethnic minorities into all levels of football (teams, stadiums, administration, coaching). Moreover, in the course of the forthcoming Action Week FARE supports also initiatives who target discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender.

Source: FARE