Tackling Racism in Football : Fanswaves’ Vision for a Safe and Inclusive Experience
Racism in football remains a pervasive issue, casting a shadow over the sport’s unifying spirit. Recent incidents, such as the derogatory chants from Argentina players towards French players during the Copa America 2024, highlight the ongoing battle against discrimination (ITVX) (The Independent). At Fanswaves, we are committed to using technology and community initiatives to combat racism and create a safe, inclusive environment for all fans. Existing Anti-Racism Initiatives in Football FC Bruges’ QR Code System FC Bruges has implemented a pioneering initiative to combat racism within its stadium. The club installed 24,000 QR codes on the seats of the Jan Breydel Stadium, allowing fans to report racist incidents in real-time. By simply scanning the QR code, attendees can anonymously submit reports, which are then directed to the club’s security team for immediate action. This innovative approach provides an immediate and anonymous way for fans to report misconduct, promoting a proactive stance against racism. The system’s success relies on widespread awareness and usage among fans. The initiative highlights the importance of leveraging technology to create safer, more inclusive environments in sports venues. EFL’s ‘Together Against Racism’ The English Football League (EFL) launched the ‘Together Against Racism‘ campaign to encourage fans to report racist incidents through an app, website, or social media platforms. This campaign, in collaboration with the organization Kick It Out, aims to break down barriers to reporting and ensure consistent messaging across all clubs. The EFL’s initiative focuses on education and awareness (like Lilian Thuram foundation), promoting the importance of reporting and addressing racist behavior. It involves training sessions, workshops, and promotional materials distributed to clubs and fans. The collaboration with Kick It Out enhances the campaign’s credibility and reach, ensuring a robust response to racism at all levels of football.). Premier League’s Initiatives The Premier League has implemented a comprehensive strategy to combat racism and discrimination. This includes stadium bans for individuals found guilty of racist behavior, legal actions, and restorative justice measures. The Premier League also supports the Online Safety Bill, aimed at combating online abuse, and runs educational initiatives to raise awareness about racism in football. These efforts are part of a broader commitment to creating a zero-tolerance environment for racism. The Premier League works closely with clubs, players, and fans to ensure that discriminatory behavior is addressed swiftly and effectively. The integration of legal consequences and educational programs underscores the league’s holistic approach to tackling racism. The French Initiative: LICRA and LFP The French initiative between the Ligue Internationale Contre le Racisme et l’Antisémitisme (LICRA) and the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) is a noteworthy effort to combat racism in football. This partnership, known as « LFP-LICRA Signalements » aims to create a more inclusive and respectful environment in French football. Fans and participants can report incidents of racism and discrimination through a dedicated platform. The reports are reviewed and addressed by the relevant authorities to ensure appropriate action is taken. The initiative has been successful in creating a more robust reporting system and has led to increased awareness and actions against racist behavior in French football. The LFP and LICRA regularly conduct educational campaigns to promote inclusivity and combat discrimination in sports. UEFA’s Respect Campaign UEFA’s Respect campaign is a key initiative aimed at promoting inclusion and combating racism across European football. The campaign includes educational programs, sanctions for discriminatory behavior, and widespread promotional efforts during UEFA competitions. Despite its wide reach, the challenge lies in ensuring consistent application and compliance at the local club level. The Respect campaign is complemented by other UEFA initiatives, such as the FootbALL campaign and the OUTRAGED documentary series, which aim to educate and raise awareness about racism in football. UEFA’s commitment to combating discrimination is evident in its continuous efforts to implement and enforce these programs across Europe. SOME GOOD INITIATIVES. BUT… WE STILL FACE HATE AGAIN AND AGAIN. Fanswaves’ Approach to Combating Racism Real-Time Reporting Tool Fanswaves plans to implement a real-time reporting feature within our app, similar to FC Bruges’ QR code system. This tool will allow users to report racist incidents during events, ensuring immediate action and accountability. Educational Campaigns We will explore a partnership with organizations such as Kick It Out or the Lilian Thuram Foundation to encourage educational campaigns directly through the app. These campaigns will include informative content, video messages from players, and interactive modules on the importance of combating racism starting buy stadiums and sports events. Community Moderation and Support Fanswaves will create a community moderation system where trusted users can help manage and review reports of discrimination. We will also provide support services for victims, offering resources and assistance directly through the app. We want to facilitate support for victims through technology, providing resources and assistance directly via the app. Collaborations and Partnerships By collaborating with football clubs, event organizers, and anti-discrimination NGOs, Fanswaves will amplify efforts to combat racism. This includes integrating with existing reporting systems and promoting joint initiatives. Data-Driven Insights Using data analytics, Fanswaves will identify trends and hotspots of discriminatory behavior. We will share these insights with clubs and authorities to take preventive measures and tailor interventions effectively. The Map of Shame : A Collaborative Initiative In the fight against racism, visibility is crucial. Fanswaves is launching a Google Map (MyMap) collaborative initiative called « The Stadiums Map of Shame, » allowing fans to add their testimonies of racism and discrimination experienced in stadiums or during sports events. This visual tool aims to motivate authorities, institutions, and clubs to create safer environments for all fans. All together to beat a noisy minority. Your voice matters Let’s fuel the Shame Map together to expose discrimination and demand change !Each testimony makes the issues visible and impossible to ignore.By speaking out, we strengthen our leverage on clubs and administrations for a football free of racism.Participating gives Fanswaves the power to act and raise awareness.A stadium, city, or region frequently mentioned becomes a target for boycotts by fans, merchandise bans, and limited visibility on our platform.Together, let’s make football a safe