Kick It Out Calls For Full Time On Hate
Ahead of the start of the new season, Kick It Out, football’s equality and inclusion organisation is calling on the collective force of the game to ‘Call Full Time On Hate’.
The initiative – running throughout the 2016/17 season - also aims to highlight the positive messages of inclusion echoed by football authorities, clubs, players, managers and supporters.
Kick It Out has been tackling discrimination, promoting equality and supporting victims of discrimination in football for over 20 years and wants to see the game remain open and inclusive.
Lord Herman Ouseley, Chair of Kick It Out, said: “Our new anti-hate initiative aims to build on existing positive education and awareness-raising projects supported by clubs and their Foundations in their local communities.
"Football is at the forefront of helping its fans, players and young people in their local communities to understand the damaging effects of prejudice and discriminatory abuse.
“Creating community cohesion through education, mixing and learning with and from each other through football is positive for the game as well as equality, diversity and inclusion.
“Call Full Time On Hate aims to ensure the game remains as inclusive and welcoming as possible and that it reiterates a zero tolerance approach to discrimination.”
Any form of discrimination witnessed at football, from the professional game through to non league and grassroots can be reported to Kick It Out.
The easiest way to report is to download the Kick It Out app, it allows users to confidentially report incidents of discrimination seen or heard at a football match.
The app allows users the ability to attach video, photo and audio evidence to complaints to aid investigations into discriminatory abuse and behaviour at matches.
Users can also report incidents of football-related discrimination to Kick It Out on social media. Further information is available at kickitout.org.
Reporting via the app is confidential, and sits alongside the organisation’s well-established methods of reporting, including via email and Freephone. Supporters can contact Kick It Out on 0800 169 9414 or by emailing info@kickitout.org
The FREE Kick It Out app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.