FA Launches Reporting Discrimination Campaign

The FA has launched four short animated films aimed at helping players and fans at all levels of the game report incidents of discrimination seen...

The films, available to view on FA.com, are being distributed widely across professional and grassroots football, and bring to life the animations of Paul ‘You Are the Ref’ Trevillion. They are narrated by former England stars, Graeme Le Saux and Dion Dublin.

The aim is to help fans and players at all levels of the game to report discrimination and provide clear and straightforward assistance in how to do so.

FA board member and chair of Inclusion Advisory Board, Heather Rabbatts, said: "We know under-reporting of discrimination in the game is an issue, therefore instilling confidence is key. The FA and the Inclusion Advisory Board has worked with stakeholders across the game in developing these films which hope to convey how easy it is to report."

Lord Herman Ouseley, Chair of Kick It Out, football’s equality and inclusion campaign, said: "Kick It Out welcomes any material that will increase knowledge amongst players and supporters of how to report discriminatory incidents which occur across the professional game and grassroots level.

"These films need to gain maximum exposure and be disseminated as widely as possible so that awareness of the reporting procedures reaches all the game’s stakeholders throughout the country.

"The free downloadable Kick It Out app features in the films and offers a quick, easy and discreet way of reporting incidents anonymously. Kick It Out encourages The FA to continue producing information on the reporting procedures to ensure equality can be achieved by all."

Darren Bailey, The FA’s Director of Football Governance and Regulation said: "The FA has worked collaboratively to instill confidence in its reporting processes.

"We encourage anyone involved in the game who has witnessed or experienced any form of discriminatory abuse to report it.

"The films make it clear the various ways in which this can be done and are therefore a helpful tool in the overall fight against discrimination."

All of these sentiments have been echoed by Simon Gerrard, Chief Executive of the Cheshire FA, who believes clamping down on discrimination is of utmost importance.

"Despite the hard work of clubs, leagues and fans to demonstrate good behaviour, discrimination and abuse unfortunately still takes place in grassroots football so this campaign is very welcome.

"Hopefully people will find it easier to report discrimination and if that deterrent is there, people will think twice about their behaviour at football matches in the future."

The films, which are all subtitled, can be viewed by Clicking HERE where information booklets explaining each film can be downloaded for free.

For further detail on how you can utilise these films, please email PR Officer for Inclusion and Anti-Discrimination, Danny Lynch, on Danny.lynch@thefa.com or call 07983 961957.

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