You may have noticed during FIFA’s womens’ soccer match today between France and the USA the powerful PSA calling viewers to “Say No to Racism.” As it turns out, the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) network, FIFA and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) joined forces in 2006 in a unique initiative called “Football unites” to contribute to a positive atmosphere during the 2006 FIFA World Cup™, aimed at people of all origins, religions, nationalities and skin colour.
“Football, like most sports, is combative — you play to win. But it shouldn’t have anything to do with racism or violence,” said Federico Addiechi, head of a FIFA division that deals with corporate social responsibility. “The problem will not disappear in a couple of days in the World Cup, but it’s important to highlight the problem when you have such a platform.”
Shocking and dispiriting demonstrations of racism prevailed in the 2006 tournaments. A few, according to the Seattle Times:
• Eto’o, who stars for Spanish power Barcelona, could be seen mouthing “no more” after being taunted in February with monkey sounds for a second year by Zaragoza fans. The team was fined $10,700, but that didn’t stop Santander fans from insulting Eto’o two months later.
• Ivory Coast and Messina defender Marc Zoro was reduced to tears by racist slurs and boos last November from Inter Milan fans.
• Criticizing an influx of foreign players in Ukraine, national coach Oleg Blokhin said youngsters should learn from native sons, “not some zumba-bumba whom they took off a tree, gave him two bananas and now he plays in the Ukrainian League.”
• Ujpest FC, a top Hungarian team, was fined $23,250 by the country’s federation in December after its fans chanted anti-Semitic slurs during a league match.
• AS Roma played its Feb. 8 home game at a neutral site and without spectators as punishment for its fans displaying Nazi and fascist symbols in a match against Livorno.