Anti-racism campaign after taunts during Euro 2012 qualifier
RACIST taunts from Bulgaria fans to England players during the Euro 2012 qualifier has prompted a football match in Comet country to promote zero tolerance of racism.
The FA has lodged a formal complaint with UEFA over racist abuse from Bulgaria fans directed at England’s Ashley Young, who is from Stevenage, and Theo Walcott during the Euro 2012 qualifier in Sofia on September 2.
On Saturday, Khalsa Football Academy (KFA) will play a Futsal Fixture v Bulgarian fans at Fearnhill Sports Centre in Letchworth GC to show a unified approach to helping to promote integration and reject racism.
The match will be followed by the launch of a focus group to stand up and stop racism at grassroots level.
KFA’s campaign, Striving for Unity, addresses equality through football initiatives and workshops.
Bal Singh, head coach at Letchworth-based KFA, said: “We can try to stop racism with other methods, but a lot of people just love their football and it is an excellent tool bringing different community groups together.
“In the last couple of years there has been a significant increase in racism in sport at grassroot level.
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“This increase of intolerance towards people from different countries, religions and cultures is a worrying development and one the KFA Striving For Unity campaign will aim to address.”
