FIFA's annual Congress, meeting in Bangkok, has taken a firm stance against racism in football, announcing a global action plan that will involve all member associations. The plan, announced yesterday, is based on five main points: rules and sanctions, action on the pitch, prosecution, education and giving players a voice.
In particular, FIFA has established that racism will become a specific crime in the sport's disciplinary code, with severe sanctions, including the possibility of a forfeit defeat for teams involved in racist behavior. “If racism is a problem for society and society cannot address it, let's address it in football once and for all”, declared FIFA President Gianni Infantino to the delegates present at the Congress.
During the event, a video was shown of some players performing the crossed arms gesture, a global proposal to report racist incidents during matches. This gesture, a symbol of solidarity and resistance to racism, will become an integral part of the actions taken to combat this scourge in football.
Infantino explained that to develop an effective strategy against racism in football, FIFA involved players from all over the world, seeking their opinions, advice and experiences to ensure a concrete and shared commitment from the entire international football community.
Article published on May 17, 2024 - 14:55 pm
