20th September 2005

Ex-footballers kick off racism initiative

Former football stars came together yesterday in an attempt to prevent racism against asylum seekers in Scottish schools.

The Show Racism the Red Card initiative will run in 10 Glasgow primary and secondary schools over the next 10 weeks, before being rolled out across Scotland.

At the launch, Derek Whyte and Gerry Britton, the former Partick Thistle duo, provided football coaching and children received educational sessions designed to dispel racist myths against asylum-seekers.

Whyte, a former Scotland international who is now a television pundit, said: "As footballers, we're delighted to do whatever we can to give asylum seekers the welcome they deserve in Glasgow. Players such as Zinedine Zidane, Dado Prso and Rudi Vata come from asylum-seeking backgrounds and are great examples of what refugees and asylum seekers can bring to Scotland.".

The Herald has called for initiatives to tackle racism in the face of an increase in the number of racially motivated attacks, particularly on the Muslim community. During July, police in Strathclyde, home to the majority of Scotland's Muslims, reported a 27% rise in racist incidents, on Tayside the increase was 76%, while Lothian and Borders Police reported a rise of 50%.

Simon Hodgson, of the Scottish Refugee Council, said he was pleased to support the project and added: "The potential for football to break down barriers, on the field, in the changing room and on the touchline, is tremendous. We hope the resolve and commitment … in tackling racism in football will be just as effective in countering prejudice towards people seeking sanctuary in Scotland".

The project is a partnership between the group, the Scottish Professional Footballers' Association, Glasgow council, and Show Racism the Red Card.

Tony Higgins, the SPFA chief and director of Fifpro's (the world players' union) anti-racism committee, said: "The combination of top-level coaching … and the SRTRC Safe Place asylum video, featuring players such as Thierry Henry and Ashley Cole talking about racism and its consequences, is an ideal environment to educate young people about the asylum issue."

Richard Barron, Glasgow council's depute director of education services, added: "This initiative forms part of a range of activities we use in schools to counter racism."

The Herald