Successful prosecution in Rugby
A 56-year old defendant from Rugby has been sentenced for racially abusing two people including a police officer.
Read more...The Premier League has released a new promotional video featuring Raheem Sterling, Virgil van Dijk and several other footballers as part of their 'No Room for Racism’ campaign to tackle the perceived rise in the number of discriminatory incidents at games.
The awareness campaign runs from Saturday 30 March, to Monday 8 April, and will see branded promotional material at football stadiums and on social media during the two week period as a way of raising awareness of racism in football.
Premier League grounds will display ‘No Room for Racism’ adverts and banners over the next two rounds of fixtures as part of a new campaign to tackle the perceived rise in the number of discriminatory incidents at games.
The awareness campaign runs from Saturday March 30, to Monday April 8, and will see branded promotional material at stadiums and on social media.
The move, however, has not been universally welcomed by anti-racism campaigners, as these two weekends have usually been set aside for football’s main charity in this area, Kick It Out, and it has not been consulted on the initiative.
Press Association Sport understands that while Kick It Out, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, is pleased to see the league take racism seriously, it does wonder if the anti-discrimination message would have been more effective if it was more consistent and joined-up.
One source close to Kick It Out, who wished to remain anonymous, told PA Sport that clubs have contacted the charity to say they are confused about whether to promote its message or the Premier League’s.
Another source said there is disappointment at Kick It Out that the league did not discuss its plans with the charity. It also pointed out that instead of investing in a new campaign, the league could have given Kick It Out more money.
Last season, the Premier League gave Kick It Out just under £270,000, while the English Football League, Football Association and Professional Footballers’ Association contributed £125,000 each.
It is understood, though, that the Premier League has reassured the charity on Monday it has no intention of setting up a rival organisation and this initiative is a response to a call from Kick It Out chairman Lord Herman Ouseley this season for clubs to do more to fight discrimination in their grounds.
It should also be added that Kick It Out material will also be promoted by Premier League clubs over the next two weekends and club captains will wear the charity’s logo on their armbands.
In a statement, the Premier League interim chief executive, Richard Masters, said: “Together with our clubs, we are proud of the diversity throughout the Premier League, in the stands, on the pitch and within our communities.
“Working with Kick It Out since 1993, great progress has been made in tackling racism through a range of initiatives and club partnerships. We are also aware that much more needs to be done, and the Premier League is committed to further promoting inclusion and diversity throughout our competition and beyond.
“It is evident there is still a minority of people who think discriminatory behaviour is acceptable, but the No Room for Racism campaign makes it clear that it will not be accepted by the Premier League and our clubs.”
This season has been blighted by several high-profile incidents of discriminatory abuse, alleged or otherwise, most notably involving Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling. Kick It Out has also said that reports of discrimination have been rising in recent years, particularly on social media.
There has been a several incidents of racism and hate related crime at football grounds and sports facilities in Warwickshire during the past twelve months. EQuIP would like to remind the wider public that hate crime in any setting is not acceptable, but it does appears that racism and hate crime in sport is sometimes seen as normalised and accepted.
EQuIP would like to encourage any person that experiences and/or witnesses a hate crime to come forward and report via one of the reporting mechanisms that are available which include reporting online via the www.reporthatenow.com website, email: advice@equipequality.org.uk or telephone: 01788 863117. In an emergency, always call 999, but you can call 101 in a non-emergency situation.