EJP | In Depth | World Cup | England and Israel join for anti-racism football campaign

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England and Israel join for anti-racism football campaign

Updated: 07/Mar/2006 17:30

John Barnes kicking balls with children in the town of Sakhnin

Photo: New Israel Fund

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A delegation from the English Football Association joined with their counterparts in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Monday and Tuesday to launch a new campaign aimed at getting rid of racism at Israeli football matches.

English footballing legend John Barnes was amongst those who made the trip to the holy land in an effort to encourage right wing Israeli supporters to stop taunting Arab players.

Barnes, and fellow black former-English footballer Brendon Batson who accompanied him, have been instrumental in the success of the Kick Racism out of Football campaign in the UK.

Launched some 14 years ago, the scheme has harnessed the support of all major British clubs as well as the fans, players and police and is seen to have helped supporters create a near-racism free atmosphere in British football stadiums. The Israeli campaign, called Kick Racism out of Israeli football, was instigated by the New Israel Fund and is to be based on the British model.

Methods discussed

The English group spent more than an hour in a brainstorming session with their Israeli counterparts at the Sheraton Moriah hotel in Tel Aviv on Monday where they discussed methods of omitting racism from football.

Racism at Israeli soccer grounds began in the 1970s after Jimmy Turk joined Hapoel Tel Aviv. Until then no Arab player had played in the top division and Turk was subjected to anti-Arab abuse during nearly every game he played.

John Barnes kicks penalties on the pitch in Sakhnin stadium

Photo: New Israel Fund

Although Arabs slowly infiltrated the Israeli Premier League it was not till 1996 that a team from an Arab town was promoted to the top division. Hapoel Taiba was soon relegated but its mantle was taken up by Bnei Sakhnin in the 2003 season.

Sakhnin has remained in the top flight for the last three seasons and, even though the team includes both Jewish and foreign players, it is continuously abused by rival fans.

Speaking during the meeting, IFA chairman Itche Menachem told the group: “I experienced all these problems as a player, as a coach, a club director and now as the chairman of the IFA. Violence and racism has reduced over the last year but more needs to be done.”

Last year a Knesset (Israeli parliament) committee initiated a law which made it illegal to make anti-Arab taunts at football grounds.

Racism disease

Although this has made a small impact, it has been unable to stop the problem. Speaking at a press conference held after the meeting, Bnei Sakhnin captain Abas Suan said he was happy to see so many people interested in the problem of racism, which he branded a “disease”

Press conference launching 'Kick out Racism from Israeli football' initiated by The New Israel Fund.
From right to left: Avi Cohen head of Israeli football player association, Eliezer Yarri -New Israel Fund, Ori Shilo- Israel Football Association, John Barnes

Photo: New Israel Fund

However Suan said: “Unfortunately this has become more prevalent in recent years and has spread throughout the country.”

Suan, who plays for the Israeli national team, scored a crucial goal in a world cup qualifier against Ireland in March last year, but was then abused the week after by fans of Betar Jerusalem who held up a banner saying he does not represent them.

“We have to speak to the players because they can change a lot,” he said. “They can get through to the simple fans that this racism is not acceptable”.

Barnes added: “Its very difficult to compare the racism in England and Israel but that’s why its important for the IFA are embarking on their journey of kicking racism out of football, to look at the English model and adapt it to suit the needs of Israel, which are completely different to the needs of England – economically, socially, religiously.”

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