UEFA backs fan embassies project

FARE plans
FARE disclosed plans regarding anti-racism and fan activites for EURO 2004™ at a major conference at the Arena Aufschalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, the venue for this season's UEFA Champions League final on 26 May. The activities will be implemented by FARE and the Football Supporters International (FSI) network

Financial support
Network representative Michael Fanizadeh said that FARE will run 'fan embassies' in partnership with the FSI network for the fans of ten countries at the tournament. UEFA will give financial backing to this work with a donation of €383,000, allocated to FARE as part of the charity portfolio operated by European football's governing body.

Helping the fans
The philosophy behind these embassies is to allow fans to work with their peers. Volunteers recruited from supporter bodies provide information to visiting fans and help them to handle any difficult situation they may come across. First pioneered during the 1996 UEFA European Championship in England, fan embassies aim to prevent violence by acting as an information and advisory resource for all supporters.

Fan teams
Ten teams of fan embassy workers will be trained by FARE and the FSI in Portugal before June. The teams will come from Germany, England, Netherlands, Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden and Portugal.

Positive impact
Based on the experences accumulated during major football European tournaments over the past eight years, the FSI and FARE believe the work will help significantly in bringing about a positive impact on fan behaviour at the European Championship.