Juventus and UNESCO presented the first report on racism in football

The Italian football club Juventus and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Friday presented the first report on discrimination and racism in football, It aims to raise awareness to other clubs and society in general.

The study, titled "Colour? What colour?" and conducted between October 2014 and last May, she has had the collaboration of sociologists, psychologists and anthropologists, focusing on football in Europe and is funded by both entities.

Unlike document various types of racism: impulsive, consists of individual spontaneous gestures; instrumental, against specific individuals and groups in a more planned, or institutionally, involving clubs and entities that block the participation of minorities and encompasses gender discrimination. The document, which does not give specific examples but branded as unacceptable such behaviour, individualised sanctions and ending calls "completely" with the collective, clubs and fans to watch their local networks that involve both team members as they think the fans or the media.

One of its authors, sociologist Albrecht Sonntag, said Friday in his presentation that should improve terminology campaigns with positive words and slogans and more civic development of trade promotion and brand image by equipment.

Sonntag said that phenomena such as homophobia and sexism are parts of the same problem and stressed that "now institutions such as FIFA or UEFA, which are unfortunately stained by other matters, show no legitimacy in their lucky campaigns against racism", so sometimes their messages are not valued. Juventus president Andrea Agnelli, also present in Paris, said the need to raise awareness among other clubs to adopt the recommendations, which are not directed against any particular group.

In Italy, he noted that "it has been greatly improved, largely due to increased immigration", which makes it are making visible "less xenophobic attitudes."

The director general of the UN agency, Irina Bokova, said the idea for the study came after the "symbolic game" UNESCO Cup played Real Madrid and Juventus in 2004, an event from which the collaboration and awareness Italian club "was absolute".

Bokova stressed that UNESCO and carried out other local projects with clubs like FC Barcelona and Malaga, and social inclusion initiatives in areas such as Africa, but this is the first time that this issue is addressed in a report centered around the continent. EFE