The Problem:
Soccer’s organizational culture has led to a lack of diversity in the areas of gender, disability, ethnicity and sexual orientation, particularly within the hierarchy of national and international football organizations.
Alarmingly, incidents of racism continue to rise. It remains the most common form of discrimination in both professional and grassroots football, constituting 65 per cent of reports – a 43 per cent rise from 2017/18. Amongst faith based and disability discrimination as well as sexism, number of reports have risen substantially since 2018.
The Strategy:
59.3% of sports bodies do not understand Human Rights in football.
Despite the prominence of racist discourse throughout message boards, if the fans who took part in the two online discussions had the chance to explain their views in follow-up research, the likelihood is that they would not see themselves or their discourse as racist.
Both governing bodies and fans alike still fail to understand the injustice they impose on people of color. How can we highlight the difference between right and wrong?
The Solution:
Rivalries are a big part of football. The color of the shirt worn by each team and their opposition is of great importance. When a Argentinian fan sees a Green shirt, they are immediately alarmed. Futhermore, the colors, badge and jersey worn are simply iconic in each of the nations or cities they play in.
Knowing the difference between right and wrong is a conversation that needs to be had. No matter the game, the are people involved do not deserve to be racially abused - no matter the shirt they put on.
The Idea:
The only difference between players and fans alike is the shirt they put on. These are the only colours that matter.
