Lilian Thuram. Captains say NO to racism. Where to play Streetkick. Fans... football s heartbeat. Pioneers from the host nations FREE FANZINE

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1 Football Unites FREE FANZINE Captains say NO to racism Where to play Streetkick Fans... football s heartbeat Pioneers from the host nations Lilian Thuram Don t turn your back. Report Racism If you see or hear any racial or homophobic abuse report it Austria Switzerland report-racism@vidc.org

2 The Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) network is almost a decade in the making. And it remains determined to challenge and confront racism whenever and wherever it emerges. Our formation in 1999 was a direct response to the rise of racism across the continent. Today, the FARE network is active in 38 countries, our activities in football having been praised by organisations as diverse as MTV, the European Parliament and national governments. Our work within the game with key partners, especially UEFA, is solid and growing stronger. FARE s success is thanks to the fan groups and NGOs across the continent dedicated to ensuring that the network keeps evolving year on year. Initiatives such as those taking place at the UEFA EURO 2008 this summer, the Mondiali Antirazzisti and Streetkick are just some of the more well known. Less publicised events, such as a pilgrimage to Auschwitz by German members, Dem Ball is`egal wer ihn tritt, to show respect and learn from the victims of the Holocaust, demonstrates just how diverse FARE s work is. Once again, FARE will work actively throughout this year s tournament with a full programme of activities ranging from an opening reception to messages of anti-racism delivered from the pitch by the captains of both teams at the semi-finals. FARE combines the resources of anti-racist football organisations in every participating nation to support groups and their efforts, on a European scale. By working together, FARE helps organisations share good practice and present a united front against discrimination in football. Visit for full information. The Unite Against Racism campaign at the Euros Messages against discrimination will be prominent throughout the tournament, through the Unite Against Racism campaign developed by FARE in partnership with UEFA and the Players Union FIFPro.. Launched on the opening day of the tournament in Basel, Unite Against Racism activities will feature at all matches. They include a specially commissioned TV spot shown at all matches, pitch-side advertising boards spelling out No to Racism, and tickets to feature an anti-racism message over 1 million tickets in total. Players will be involved in all aspects, with every captain carrying the message on his armband, and the campaign featured on substitute player s bibs, along with steward s bibs. The activities will reach a climax at the semi-finals in Vienna and Basel, where the team captains will deliver a message against discrimination on the pitch. As part of the programme FARE is also working with NGOs in Switzerland. Two Swiss-based projects Stop-Racism- Shop and Peacecamp, will be in Zurich (Limmatquai), Bern (Aarbergergasse) and Basel (Claraplatz & Messeplatz). In Geneva (Place du Rhône & Plains de Plainpalais) LICRA is working with FARE to run Streetkick. In Liestal the group Bunt kickt gut will organise a multicultural football festival. Millions of people from around the world watch and play football. It is a special sport where racism simply cannot be tolerated. Freddie Ljungberg, Sweden (West Ham)

3 Fans... football s heartbeat Fans are the soul of any football event. The European championships are no different. We spoke to three followers, one from a tournament favourite and another two whose sides are underdogs, to get their views of their players and an insight into their nations. Turkey will be taking part in a first international tournament for six years. 29 year-old Koray Polaz is a lifelong fan. How well will the Turkish national side play? I think Turkey have the potential to be a surprise package, in the same way that Greece was four years ago. Players like Galatasaray midfielder Arda Turan and Middlesbrough striker Tuncay could make a big impact. What are Turkey s fans like? For me, the Turkish fans are as close as Europeans get to Brazilian support. They create a great atmosphere and are absolutely fanatical about their team. My club side is Fenerbache. Who is your tip for the tournament? I think Spain could go all the way this year. With players like Fabregas and Torres, it could be their tournament. Italy will also be strong after their World Cup victory. Do you think Turkey could successfully host an international tournament? I don t think we re very far off. The European U-17s Championship was held there in May, and was a great success. The fans would certainly not be a problem. In Turkey there has been racism, but it s limited due to the diverse nature of the Turkish people. The passion for football is so great that a major tournament would be a big lift to everyone. Sporting Lisbon and Portugal fan Miguel Baptista is optimistic that what lies ahead for Portugal will be good. How far do you think Portugal will go? I think they will do really well. If we don t win it then I feel quite confident that they could at least achieve second place. And the best players? Apart from Ronaldo, Deco and Quaresma, I admire Fernando Torres, Cesc Fabregas and Luca Toni. Is racism in football a problem? I have witnessed it. Portugal is a very diverse country and a lot of African people live there. Unfortunately, opposition fans facing Portugal are occasionally abusive towards the African Portuguese fans. And I know that when England lost to Portugal in the World Cup, the England fans went crazy in some cities. What did Portugal s hosting of UEFA Euro 2004 do for the country? It provided great opportunities for the Portuguese people and it helped to attract tourists back in to the Country. The championships encouraged the development of new facilities such as hotels, bars, restaurants, etc, which provided new jobs. I would love to see another tournament held there in the future. Medhi Tazraret is French of Algerian heritage, and involved in the fan embassies programme at the tournament. How well do you think France will do this year? France still has a very good team, with lots of great players. The problem may be balancing the established players, who have been involved for a long time and a new generation of players. Have you attended many France games, have you experienced any racism? I am from Marseille, and in Marseille club comes before country. At the last World Cup, I went to France vs Spain and the World Cup final. Zinedine Zidane is my hero, and I was delighted to be at his last ever game. I have never personally been the victim of racism at football, but I saw some worrying things at the World Cup, like Italian fans with tattoos of Mussolini. And in your everyday life? Marseille is a very cosmopolitan city, and everyone is used to being together. From when you are at school, you are integrated and it is never seen as an issue. The discrimination I have experienced personally comes from my name. Employers are suspicious as it is not a traditional French name. Marseille feels separated from the rest of France, and some people have the attitude that Marseille is not part of France. Tell us about the fan embassies? They are being run by FARE partner Football Supporters International. Each country has a fan ambassador that acts as a point of contact for their fans. 12 of the 16 countries involved in the Euros will have fan embassies, and in each of the eight host cities a stationary fan embassy will support local organisers. I am unwavering in my belief that racism and all other forms of discrimination should be stamped out to allow our game to continue flourishing. Edwin Van der Sar, Netherlands (Manchester United)

4 Lilian Mention the name Lilian Thuram to any football fan in the world and it conjures a mixture of memories. The two goals he d against Croatia in the World Cup semi-final. Or the image of him lifting the European Championship trophy a mere two years later. The most capped player in French international football history, Lilian is also one of the most decorated, winning top honours both internationally and domestically, home and abroad. Beginning life in the village of Anse-Bertrand in Guadeloupe, in the French Caribbean, he began his playing career with Monaco in Lilian has played top-level football in France, Italy and currently in Spain, for Barcelona. An avid jazz lover, high amongst his heroes are legendary jazzmen, Miles Davis and John Coltrane. His appreciation of the genre extends beyond individual musical skill and dedication, and helps his understanding of the political struggles that formed a backdrop to that era. This admiration comes into play when describing one of his greatest achivements in the game; being part of the 1998 World Cup winning French team. It was what I call my Miles Davis moment, he says. Footballers can be like artists when the mind and body are working as one. It is what Miles Davis does when he plays free jazz - everything pulls together into one intense moment that is beautiful. He doesn t have to think about it; it s pure instinct. His career, however, has not been without darker times. An early encounter with racism during his years in Italy heightened his awareness of the uglier face of football. It was at a Parma-Milan match he says, when our Parma fans were chanting racist slogans against Milan players Ibrahim Ba and George Weah that I thought how sick this was. The press officer tried to stop I hope that we use this summer s festival of football to say NO to racism and YES to harmony and respect. Iker Casillas, Spain (Real Madrid)

5 Thuram me, but I went to see the fans at our training ground and told them what I thought. The next week there was an apologetic banner at the match saying, Thuram, respect us please! I liked that. Thuram has always faced racist issues head on. Racism is a crucial struggle. We tend to paint racists as monsters, especially when you see what goes on in stadiums. True, we need to denounce, criticise and penalise racists, but above all we have to explain the phenomenon and educate people. I m convinced that, in the long term, education will pay off. We can t simply limit ourselves to saying being a racist is bad - we have to go further. Racism is not an innate condition: we created it by distinguishing between races even though there s only one human race. The job education can do is fundamental. The squad that won the World Cup in 98, comprising of players from many of the former French colonies, was hailed at the time as the model of a tolerant and racially mixed nation. Thuram was made a member of the Legion d Honneur - the highest civilian honour as the French government recognised his contribution to national sporting success. Racial tensions have intensified since those heady days, and while the national football team is still multiracial, the racially divided nature of French society now casts a longer shadow. Looking towards the future as always, Thuram sees the next major tournament, the 2010 World Cup, as a huge opportunity to change perceptions across not only the footballing world, but also to develop the wider socio-political vision of the world community. Awarding such a major competition to Africa is crucial for a continent that has always suffered from an image problem. Around the world, there s been a tendency over the centuries to think that Africa lacks history, culture, civilisation and richness. That false image has contributed to racism, which is why it s important to change this mindset. I truly hope the World Cup will allow everyone to discover Africa in general and South Africa in particular. It s time to put an end to prejudice What s next for him? Perhaps I would like to do something else beyond the game maybe I could do politics, maybe I could be a teacher. But I want to make an impact, and work with others on behalf of good causes. Being active is very important to me. It s not linked to the end of my career; it s something I ve always felt. It s true that if I can help out with a certain cause after football, I ll be naturally willing to do it. As a footballer, I have a very high profile and I want to use that. I hope to raise the awareness of a certain number of issues and move them forward in a positive way. The tournament is an unrivalled opportunity to not only watch some of the best footballers in Europe, but to meet people from different countries and learn about foreign cultures. Cristian Chivu, Romania (Internazionale)

6 Mondiali Antirazzisti The Anti-Racism World Cup, otherwise known as the Mondiali Antirazzisti, is one of the FARE network s most successful projects. Based on a foundation of multi-national diversity, the Mondiali began life as a simple demonstration of unity organised by FARE Italian partner, Progetto Ultra. Over time its popularity has soared, and now, in its 12th season, over 4000 people representing 200 teams, will descend on the town of Casalecchio di Reno, near Bologna, from the 9th - 13th July. The 5 day carnival includes football, concerts, debates, and other events. People from as far and as Senegal, Pakistan, Chile, Bengal, Kurdistan, Kosovo and Moldavia have all taken part. Homophobia in Football Football has made progress in combating discrimination in many forms but some issues remain taboo. Homophobia is one of them. FARE established a partnership with the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation (EGLSF) to challenge homophobia back in The coalition has helped strengthen FARE s work in this area and helped the EG- LSF in establishing a dialogue with the games governing bodies. In 2002 FARE partner Bündnis Aktiver Fußballfans from Germany started the imaginatively titled campaign Show Football the Pink Card. They continue to work with gay and lesbian football supporters clubs in Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, Dortmund and Dresden. In Barcelona in 2006 at the UEFA- FARE Unite Against Racism conference, UEFA put homophobia on the agenda. It was the first time a major international footballing conference had discussed the issue. There are many developments in this area at national level, the EGLSF are this year holding a series of forums across Europe to explore problems and define solutions led by NGOs and local fans. In England, the Gay Football Supporters Network (GFSN) has assumed a high profile helping to organise London 08, the Gay and Lesbian World Championships, with the final at the historic home of east London club Leyton Orient. In May, the Justin Campaign was launched, to vindicate the memory of Justin Fashanu, the world s first and only openly gay professional footballer. Homophobia will remain with us until it s challenged. There are gay footballers, it s an obvious fact, but there are no openly gay players and are unlikely to be if the current situation continues. For these role models to emerge they need the support and encouragement of us all. Action Week 2008, Are You Involved? The FARE Action Week unites supporters, clubs and minority groups in a concerted effort to make discrimination a thing of the past. The next FARE Action Week is from 16th 28th October Each year the FARE network offers financial support for a range of grass-roots activities to address local problems in football clubs at the community level. In 2007, over 190 groups submitted some very creative proposals, and we were able to offer small grants to over 100 grass-roots initiatives, as well as providing campaign materials for free. To get involved in this year s FARE Action Week go to We must remain vigilant against racism and every form of intolerance or racially motivated discrimination Fabio Cannavaro, Italy (Real Madrid)

7 Pioneers from the host nations The hosts for UEFA EURO 2008 may be more famous for skiing and places of historical interest (the Burg Theatre in Vienna or Albert Einstein s home in Bern are two you should visit), but both Austria and Switzerland have long footballing histories. This can be illustrated through the seemingly surprising number of national footballers of ethnic minority origin in both countries. In Switzerland, where the Turkish footballing influence is strong, the first player from a minority background is also Switzerland s ex-highest all-time goalr. The legendary Kubilay Turkyılmaz made a huge impact in the country. Superstar Murat Yakin is the best-known Swiss of Turkish origin with over 50 caps, most of them won during his period captaining his hometown club of FC Basel. His younger brother, Hakan Yakin, is also a well-established international currently playing for Young Boys Berne. The number of black players in the Swiss national team has been a source of controversy in the recent past, with the far-right Lega dei Ticinesi party declaring that: One chocolate-coloured footballer can be accepted. Three seems like going much too far. It was a reference to FC Twente striker, Blaise Nkufo, Arsenal defender Johan Djourou and Manchester City midfielder, Gelson Fernandes. The Swiss FA responded by saying it was proud that players of such quality had chosen to play for Switzerland and so will the nations football fans this summer as these players show just why the Swiss could spring one or two surprises. Across the border, one of Austrian football s greatest players was born in Moravia, in eastern Czechoslovakia. Matthias Sindelar moved in 1905 to Vienna and settled in the district of Favoriten with a large Czechspeaking community. Sindelar played centre forward in Austria s much-celebrated 1930 s Wunderteam and captained them at the 1934 World Cup. He was voted the best Austrian footballer of the 20th Century. The first black Austrian international, Helmut Köglberger, was born to an Austrian mother and a black American soldier in Making his debut in 1965 he earned 28 caps and d a total of 211 goals in 425 First Division matches. More information about these players is featured in FARE s Celebrating the Pioneers exhibition. For more information go to We may all be competing to win UEFA EURO 2008, but we all stand together on one belief to kick racism out of football. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal (Manchester United)

8 OUP A Streetkick The Streetkick team will be touring Switzerland and Austria at the games marked below, for the full two weeks, making it three major tournaments in a row for this unique tool of working with fans. GROUP A (Streetkick: Geneva, Place du Rhone) Portugal v Turkey (S) Saturday, June 07 20:45 CET Stade de Genève, Geneva GROUP A (Streetkick: Geneva, Place du Rhone) Czech Republic v Portugal (S) Wednesday, June 11 18:00 CET Stade de Genève, Geneva Switzerland v Czech Republic Saturday, June 07 18:00 CET Switzerland v Turkey Wednesday, June 11 20:45 CET GROUP B (Streetkick: Klagenfurt, Fancamp) Austria v Croatia Sunday, June 08 18:00 CET GROUP B (Streetkick: Klagenfurt, Fancamp) Austria v Poland Thursday, June 12 20:45 CET Germany v Poland (S) Sunday, June 08 20:45 CET Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt Croatia v Germany (S) Thursday, June 12 18:00 CET Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt GROUP C GROUP C Netherlands v Italy Monday, June 09 20:45 CET Stade de Suisse, Berne Netherlands v France Friday, June 13 20:45 CET Stade de Suisse, Berne Romania v France Monday, June 09 18:00 CET Letzigrund Stadion, Zurich Italy v Romania Friday, June 13 18:00 CET Letzigrund Stadion, Zurich GROUP D Greece v Sweden Tuesday, June 10 20:45 CET Stadion Salzburg Wals-Siezenheim, Salzburg Spain v Russia Tuesday, June 10 18:00 CET Stadion Tivoli Neu, Innsbruck GROUP D (Streetkick: Innsbruck, Landestheater and Salzburg, FanZone) Greece v Russia (S) Saturday, June 14 20:45 CET Stadion Salzburg Wals-Siezenheim, Salzburg Sweden v Spain (S) Saturday, June 14 18:00 CET Stadion Tivoli Neu, Innsbruck (S) Denotes Streetkick locations

9 Run by UK FARE member Football Unites, Racism Divides (FURD), and German partner Dem Ball is`egal wer ihn tritt, Streetkick uses the appeal of playing football to work with fans through smallsided games. The game will tour major venues in both Austria and Switzerland, kicking-off early afternoons. The idea is that fans play in an environment of harmony, respect and fun. A six panel multilingual exhibition will travel with the Streetkick teams as will a music system. Games will also take place in between match days. The venues are listed below and more details are at Don t forget your shooting boots! This fanzine has been produced by FARE. The FARE programme at UEFA EURO 2008 has been funded by UEFA. And organised in co-operation with EURO 2008 SA, FIFPro and the Austrian and Swiss Governments. For information on FARE partners FARE supports: GROUP A Switzerland v Portugal Sunday, June 15 20:45 CET Turkey v Czech Republic Sunday, June 15 20:45 CET Stade de Genève, Geneva GROUP B Austria v Germany Monday, June 16 20:45 CET Poland v Croatia Monday, June 16 20:45 CET Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt GROUP C France v Italy Tuesday, June 17 20:45 CET Letzigrund Stadion, Zurich Netherlands v Romania Tuesday, June 17 20:45 CET Stade de Suisse, Berne GROUP D (Streetkick: Innsbruck, Landestheater and Salzburg, Youth Centre Lehen) Greece v Spain (S) Wednesday, June 18 20:45 CET Stadion Salzburg Wals-Siezenheim, Salzburg QUARTER FINALS (Streetkick: Vienna, Museumsquartier/Mariahilferstrasse) Winner Gp A v Runner-up Gp B Thursday, June 19 20:45 CET Winner Gp B v Runner-up Gp A (S) Friday, June 20 20:45 CET Winner Gp C v Runner-up Gp D Saturday, June 21 20:45 CET Winner Gp D v Runner-up Gp C (S) Sunday, June 22 20:45 CET SEMI FINAL (Streetkick: Vienna, Museumsquartier/Mariahilferstrasse) Winner QF1 v Winner QF2 Wednesday, June 25 20:45 CET Winner QF3 v Winner QF4 (S) Thursday, June 26 20:45 CET FINAL Winner SF1 v Winner SF2 Sunday, June 29 20:45 CET Russia v Sweden (S) Wednesday, June 18 20:45 CET Stadion Tivoli Neu, Innsbruck