Players and Clubs Give Support to UEFA’s #EqualGame Message at 58 Matches Across Europe
UEFA will be reiterating its support to tackle all forms of discrimination and promote inclusion, diversity, and accessibility.
#EqualGame
This initiative is part of the FARE network’s Football People actions weeks, which is running from 5 October to 19 October.
Activities are taking place at a total of 58 matches in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Players and clubs involved in these competitions are lending their support to both the FARE network and UEFA, who are committed to fighting for an end to discrimination in football.
Videos played on giant screens at stadiums across Europe, announcements made over the stadium loudspeakers and child mascots wearing #EqualGame t-shirts will encourage everyone in the game to stand up to discrimination and to embrace inclusion, diversity, and accessibility.
The teams involved in the Football People actions weeks will also line-up for a mixed photo with the referees, while a #EqualGame hashtag will also be on display. #EqualGame videos will also be shown at the European Qualifiers for the Women’s World Cup.
“I am excited to offer UEFA’s full support for the Football People action weeks, football’s largest movement for social change in Europe,” said the UEFA President, Aleksander Čeferin. “By dedicating a matchday of the UEFA men’s and women’s Champions League, the Europa League and European qualifiers for the Women’s World Cup to the campaign, we want to highlight our commitment to leading the way in making discrimination a phenomenon of the past and celebrate diversity in the game,” he added.
The main aim of the FARE network’s Football People action weeks is to tackle discrimination in football as well as developing new ideas and practices which can challenge exclusion. The project has a goal of looking to involve 100,000 people directly in its activities, which are taking place in over 50 countries across the globe.
FARE Executive Director Piara Powar said: “The Football People weeks is an important period for European football bringing together people who watch, play or run the sport and supporting inclusion and diversity while challenging intolerance and discrimination.”
#EqualGame — it is important
“This is a big and growing movement. We encourage grassroots organizations to join the campaign and get involved with their own activities. Activities will include conferences, debates, workshops and many more events at national and international level. There are opportunities for everyone to get involved,” Powar added.
UEFA’s long-standing collaboration with the FARE network’s Football People’s action weeks has been running since 2001. The aim of this initiative fits in perfectly with the goals of #EqualGame, which is looking to promote inclusion, diversity, and accessibility, with the backing of star names in UEFA’s top club competitions.
#EqualGame is an evolution of the previous UEFA RESPECT drive ‘No to Racism.’ UEFA remains very committed to the fight against racism and is expanding its campaign to cover all aspects of inclusion, such as ethnicity, gender, age and sexual orientation.
“The new #EqualGame initiative will help to bring the football community closer together and ensure that values such as inclusion, gender equality and the fight against discrimination continue to be at the forefront of UEFA’s vision and beliefs,” concluded the UEFA President, Aleksander Čeferin.
Source: UEFA Press Release
