[2006 World Cup]OC unveils fan programme
[author:Margaret Public time:Jun 15, 2006] |
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“The silent majority have to open their mouths. Racism is only perpetrated by a tiny minority in football. The rest of us have to send out a clear message against it,” said Hans Florin, Director of Security of the Organising Committee (OC), in Berlin on Friday. FIFA’s midday briefing on the day of the Opening Game was dedicated to fan and visitor support and the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ anti-racism programme.
The 2006 FIFA World Cup OC, headed by Franz Beckenbauer, has invested four million Euros in its multi-faceted fan support programme alone. “We want the fans to feel completely safe as they make their way around. We are distributing a free Fanguide at the Fan Fests and have been providing information in four languages since January via our website Fanguide2006.org which is linked to FIFAworldcup.com,” says Florin. “We are not aiming at those fans who have already received all their information from the travel agency. We are targeting the backpacking fans.”
Stationary and mobile fan embassies have also been put in place by the OC. “We want to be where the fans are,” explained Thomas Schneider of the Koordinationsstelle Fanprojekte (KOS). Embassies can also be found at other popular locations in the various city centres. KOS, which has been active since 1993, was commissioned by the OC both in an advisory capacity and to assist with fan support. “The individual stages of our work might look unspectacular, but overall it makes a big difference.”
The fourth pillar of the programme, alongside the website, Fanguide and embassies is the anti-racism campaign in collaboration with FARE. Piara Powar, Director of the English branch of the initiative Football Representatives Against Racism, explains: “The mere fact that so many nations and cultures are coming together is important to us. We want to play a part in ensuring that this incredibly positive aspect of the World Cup is highlighted as much as possible.”
Paul Elliott, a professional footballer in England and Italy in the 1980s who has experienced racial hatred himself, is calling for sanctions against perpetrators in the stadium: “Everybody has a right to a racism-free workplace, whether it be a factory or an office. The same right should apply to professional footballers. The stadium is our workplace.”
“The OC has domestic authority,” assured the OC’s Hans Florin in Berlin. “We will try to prevent any form of racist propaganda. Flags or banners with racist messages will be confiscated at the outer security perimeter. And in the stadia, the OC will remove fans who perpetrate racism from the stands and will look to apply long-term stadium bans.” The measures reflect the zero-tolerance approach of both FIFA and the OC.
For the first time, the captain of every team at the quarter-final stage will take a public stand against racism before the game, with the rest of the players unveiling an anti-racism banner. At all 64 games, a banner with the tournament slogan “A time to make friends™” will be laid across the centre circle with the added message “Say no to racism”. In addition, anti-racism video messages will be played on the big screens in all twelve stadia.
FIFA has also added its own vocal support to the measures. In the words of FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter: “For FIFA, respecting ethnic diversity is of great importance. As the world’s favourite sport, football has the loudest and most influential voice against racism. Football makes it clear that the colour of one’s skin does not and must not have any effect on our everyday existence, our life and our sport.”
FIFA has lent its full and committed support to combating any damaging trends in society and football by tackling their root causes. “We are convinced that our partnership with FARE and the OC is a further milestone in the battle against these worrying trends,” added the FIFA President.
Source: http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/
Printed From:http://www.free-press-release.com/news/200606/1150388259.html
Source:Free Press Release
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