Clarence Seedorf appointed UEFA Global Ambassador for Diversity and Change

058 - Appointment underlines UEFA’s commitment to diversity in European football

Clarence Seedorf, former Netherlands national team player and four-time UEFA Champions League winner, was today unveiled as the UEFA Global Ambassador for Diversity and Change. This announcement, made by UEFA President Michel Platini at the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam, further underlines the organisation’s commitment to promoting diversity in European football and combatting racism and discrimination in the game.

UEFA President Michel Platini said: “I am pleased with what UEFA’s anti-discrimination campaigns and initiatives have achieved so far. We have introduced new regulations, resolutions and procedures for referees in order to tackle the problem. However, there is much more work to be done and I am delighted UEFA will now be counting on the contribution of Clarence Seedorf, a four-time UEFA Champions League winner and European football legend. He is passionate about the cause and will lend his experience and expertise to make sure our finger is on the pulse of the issue and that we can stamp all forms of discrimination out of football once and for all.”

UEFA Global Ambassador for Diversity and Change Clarence Seedorf said: “It is an honour and a privilege to become the UEFA Global Ambassador for Diversity and Change. I am looking forward to collaborating with UEFA and I feel that together we can make great strides as we aim for a more integrated, positive, tolerant and diverse football world. I am confident this will be an important and fruitful relationship. My life mission is to make this world a better place and I feel this opportunity will allow me to achieve that.”

In his new role, Clarence Seedorf will work directly with UEFA’s administration to combat discrimination and will participate in various UEFA corporate social responsibility campaigns aimed at promoting education, diversity and integration. Seedorf will be called upon to use his expertise and experience in order to create new concepts and initiatives that can be introduced at UEFA, both institutionally and in competitions.

By being appointed to this role as UEFA Global Ambassador for Diversity and Change, Seedorf will offer his thoughts and insight into UEFA’s overall strategy to protect the image of football globally. Seedorf will become a key voice and role model in spreading the messages of tolerance and unity, with a view of eliminating discrimination and racism from football.

The ambassador launch event at the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam was followed by a high-profile seminar organised by UEFA, the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) and Fare network, focusing on institutional discrimination in football.

For more information about UEFA’s social responsibility work, visit: http://www.uefa.org/social-responsibility