19.10.2018

Football People weeks take centre stage during UEFA elite competitions

European football governing body UEFA continues to show its support for the Football People weeks and will help capitalise on the momentum gained during the international break with more activities planned during a comprehensive round of UEFA club competition games to come. European leagues, Football Associations, top-tier clubs and international players came together as one during week one of this year's action weeks, helping back the campaign with a message of diversity and inclusion for all. At all UEFA 58 club competition matches played between 23-25 October, including Champions League, Europa League and Women’s Champions League, players will line-up for a mixed photo and display the hashtag of UEFA’s anti-discrimination and social inclusion campaign #EqualGame. Videos played on giant screens, announcements made over the stadium loudspeakers and child mascots wearing #EqualGame t-shirts will encourage those at the stadium and at home to stand up to discrimination and to embrace diversity. UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said: “I am glad to offer UEFA’s continued support to our partner Fare for this year's Football People weeks.” “There is no place for racism, discrimination and intolerance in football, and UEFA has a zero-tolerance policy towards such conduct”, he added. https://twitter.com/farenet/status/1047775124798296064 This year’s weeks will be the biggest yet and the support of professional football is paving the way for fans and governing bodies across Europe to follow and join the campaign. Tibor Navrascics, EU commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport said:

Football Associations back the Football People weeks  During the international break all match day programmes for UEFA games featured a one-page bulletin on the action weeks, with comment from UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin and Fare executive director Piara Powar. https://www.instagram.com/p/BpFWvPxDCSr/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link In Croatia, World Cup finalist and FC Barcelona star Ivan Rakitic threw his support behind the action weeks on behalf of the Croatia national team. https://twitter.com/HNS_CFF/status/1051525576178176000 The Welsh FA brought men's and women's national team players together to send a message of inclusion for all. https://twitter.com/FAWales/status/1050386890921312256 The Italian football federation brought star players Giorgio Chiellini and Lorenzo Insigne out to represent the Football People weeks. https://twitter.com/Vivo_Azzurro/status/1051810041093922817 In Kazakhstan, national team captain Dmitry Shomko delivered a message of support before their nation's UEFA Nations League clash with Andorra. https://twitter.com/farenet/status/1052214246442979329 The Belgian FA dedicated their UEFA Nations League match to the #FootballPeople weeks with a video about Fare broadcast and player escorts carrying Fare flags onto the pitch. The KBVB will also host a ‘Football and Diversity’ conference and panel discussion on the 22nd October that aims to create an action plan to tackle discriminatory chants at football matches. The event will focus on refugee inclusion and how to use football to promote integration, with a particular focus on refugee women and girls. https://twitter.com/Belgianfootball/status/1051761592537411586 The Football Associations of Cyprus, Georgia, Iceland, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Moldova, Lithuania, Russia and more all shared their support by sending pictures of national team captains and star players wearing a Football People t-shirt. Clubs get involved Many clubs across Europe have done the same, including AEL Limassol, Appolon Limasol FC, AEK Larnaka, FC BATE Borisov, FC Internazionale, Juventus, FC Viktoria Plzeň, Shamrock Rovers, Cork City FC, Panserraikos FC, APOEL FC, CSKA Moscow, Dinamo Moscow, AC Sparta Praha, GNK Dinamo Zagreb, West Ham United, FC Zurich and more. In Greece, AEK Athens and PAOK FC produced videos featuring the team’s top players sending a message against discrimination. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo04cEdB8tM/?taken-by=aekfc_official The clubs also took to social media to further their support. PAOK ran content on their website, social media and through videos displayed on their stadium screens, with an interview with Fernando Varela on racism in football and a message of inclusion for Greece. The Greek Super League also backed the campaign. https://twitter.com/PAOK_FC/status/1051040942944411649 AEK Larnaka have shown continued backing to the #FootballPeople weeks with messages on social media, videos and news articles on their website. Dynamo Dresden announced their players would be supporting with t-shirts reading "Love Dinamo, Hate Racism" at their game against Erzgebirge Aue. Valencia CF posted a video on their Twitter page in support. https://twitter.com/valenciacf/status/1051420098022531072 Women’s teams including Olympique Lyonnais in France and Bayern Munich Women have also backed the campaign, with multiple Champions League-winning star Wendie Renard showing her support. https://twitter.com/OL_English/status/1050767763235659777

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