CITY TAKES LEAD TO RID GAME OF RACISM

The message is clear – but how widely is it being heeded?

Many readers and viewers of large sections of the mainstream media may be forgiven for believing that the battle against racism in British football has already been won.

Incidents in Serbia and Italy, in which English fans – and even players – have been verbally and physically assaulted, have provoked widespread demands for authorities in those countries to put their house in order and introduce effective measures to combat racist abuse.

Many pundits making these demands have cited England as the benchmark that should be followed, in the belief that these issues, commonplace here a generation ago, have all but died out.

However, a number of incidents involving black players and fans during the current season, at both professional and grassroots level, have shown that this is far from the case. The assault on an Asian Manchester United fan on a crowded tram following a recent home match illustrates that the fears that continue to deter many fans from actively following their club are not entirely unfounded.

In the wake of such events, many stakeholders have formed the view that further initiatives are needed in order to eradicate racism entirely.

The Race For Football National Roadshow was officially launched in Leicester on 20 March. Over a hundred people attended a meeting at the African-Caribbean Centre, to discuss issues of racial discrimination and share their experiences of past events and frustrations.

Representatives from the FA, Leicestershire FA and Kick It Out responded to questions from members of the audience.. All three governing bodies were keen to stress their commitment to forge better working partnerships with grassroots clubs.

Another encouraging aspect of the event was the amount of media interest it received. Interviews from BBC East Midlands were broadcast live on the night and it was also covered by Sky Sports News and BBC Radio Leicester.

The roadshow aims to raise the awareness of black/minority ethnic communities in the UK at both the professional level and within the grass roots game to empower players, managers, coaches, referees and staff to set the agenda on race and diversity issues and to work collectively to do so.

However there is another element whose involvement in the campaign will be essential in order to ensure its success – namely the fans. Links need to be established with groups such as the Football Supporters Federation and Supporters Direct in order to ensure that the message is heard by the target audience.

As urban communities become ever more diverse, the commercial need to promote social inclusion in order to attract and retain supporters from all sections of those communities is now being recognised as being every bit as essential as the moral one

The recent appointment of Greg Dyke as incoming Chair of the Football Association is an encouraging sign that the organisation is prepared to continue to promote inclusion within the game.

His experience and political skills will be crucial in order to persuade sceptics that the FA can deliver progress as well as rhetoric.

Thanks to Leicester Nirvana FC for information assisting with this article