FARE uniting football against racism

Football's battle against racism continues to gather pace – and the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) network is working alongside UEFA in a committed campaign to eradicate this evil from the European game.

Pan-European network
FARE joins forces with UEFA and the English Football Association in staging a pan-European conference, 'Unite Against Racism', in London next Wednesday. The conference is being attended by Europe's national associations, major clubs, supporters' groups and leading football personalities.

Considerable impetus
The partnership between UEFA and FARE has been gaining considerable impetus over the past two years, since the relationship between the two bodies kicked off in earnest at the start of the 2001/02 season. At the annual UEFA gala events in Monaco that year, UEFA Chief Executive Gerhard Aigner presented Juventus FC and France defender Lilian Thuram, representing FARE, with its annual charity cheque for €680,000.

Vital step
FARE described the award as "a vital step to sustaining anti-racist practices in countries where progress has been made, and developing new work in nations which are suffering problems".

Catalyst for action
The FARE network was founded in January 1999, when fan groups, anti-racist non-governmental organisations and ethnic minority bodies came together in Vienna. That meeting was the catalyst for football to begin addressing the serious problem of racism within the game. In the case of UEFA, this involved active work with FARE, including the familiarisation of UEFA venue directors and match delegates with the racist symbols and emblems which supporters display inside stadiums.

Plan of action
By last year, the partnership between FARE and UEFA had moved a further step forward. In November, UEFA presented FARE with a cheque for €274,000, with the funds used to bring together the European football community for next week's anti-racism conference. In addition, UEFA and FARE jointly issued a ten-point plan of action. The plan gave national associations and clubs a set of guidelines on how to act if players, officials or supporters engage in conduct of a racist nature.

Range of initiatives
"UEFA's support for FARE is an important part of our work to tackle racism in European football," said UEFA's communications and public affairs director Mike Lee. "They are developing a range of initiatives particularly linked to fans' organisations, which are helping to spread the message."

Positive and lasting impact
"With the support of UEFA, FARE will continue to make a positive and lasting impact on the problem across Europe," said FARE in a statement which also sounded a note of warning that the fight against racism will be a long and demanding one. "While there may be positive progress to report in stadiums on issues of fan racism – and problems such as racially abusive chants and the growing presence of the far-right in stadiums – the more complex side of the problem also needs urgent action," it said.

Ideal opportunity
The issues needing to be addressed include under-representation of ethnic minorities in stadiums, in administering the game and as players. FARE also says that in certain countries, the number of 'foreigners' playing in amateur football is strictly limited. The network wishes to work closely with associations and leagues to solve such problems – and the London conference is an ideal opportunity to exchange views.