Fair Play: District cooperates with TSV/FC Korbach - more partners sought

More respect and fair play in football: This is the motto of the Fair Play Hessen initiative of the Hessian Football Association, which promotes more tolerance and respect in amateur football. The district is a partner of the initiative - and is looking for more sports clubs throughout the district to join its project "Die Null muss stehen". TSV/FC Korbach is now also involved.

The traditional club has been a meeting place for children and players of different nations and origins for years. "We notice that football has its "own language", but above all it connects and promotes contacts," says Albrecht Will, youth director and club manager. "As TSV Korbach, we see it as our duty to integrate all players and expect all our members to treat each other with respect and to live together in friendship." That is why we do not tolerate any discriminatory or racist remarks, neither in training nor in matches. This also applies to the coaches and the audience at the matches.

"We are pleased that we were able to win TSV/FC Korbach as a partner in the campaign - and we also call on all other clubs in Waldeck-Frankenberg to join the initiative," says the district's integration officer Latif Hamamiyeh Al-Homssi. Interested parties can contact him by e-mail (latif.al-homssi@lkwafkb.de) or by phone (05631-954 200). The project is about networking associations, raising awareness of the issue and bringing it to the public. Events are also organised to honour the commitment against racism and violence in amateur football. For the time being, the prevention work will concentrate on the local football clubs because they have the most athletes and the best structures. Later, all clubs that are committed to fair play, equal opportunities and respect in their daily interaction will receive similar offers.

How can clubs participate? They sign the Charter against Racism in Amateur Football and also become members of the "Fairplay Hessen" initiative free of charge. As a result, they receive professional support from the B-youth level onwards in the form of two workshops organised by the Hessian Football Association. These help the clubs to develop their own mission statement against discrimination and violence. In addition to the free workshops, the participating clubs receive match balls, captain's armbands, warm-up shirts, posters, displays, banners or posters expressing fair play. In the future, participating clubs will also appoint contact persons so that incidents can be specifically forwarded to the "Reporting Centre for Violence and Discrimination" at the HFV.

Background
The district of Waldeck-Frankenberg wants to take stronger action against any kind of violence, racism and discrimination - especially in amateur football. To this end, it has entered into a partnership with the "Fairplay Hessen" initiative of the Hessian Football Association (HFV) and is making football clubs an offer free of charge: under the motto "The zero must stand", the cooperation partners in Waldeck-Frankenberg want to promote mutual respect on and off the football pitch. Exclusion has no place there, as it does everywhere.