It’s time FIFA stop allowing racism in the World Cup and international soccer! Fans Petition For FIFA To Ban Blackface At The World Cup Spread the word, a petition for FIFA to take a formal stand against racism is gaining major steam across the world. A Care2 petition demands the international soccer governing body FIFA stop tolerating fans in blackface at the World Cup games. The Care2 petition has more than 14,000 signatures. FIFA has strict rules against other fan behavior — for instance, fans are prohibited from bringing musical instruments or carrying water that isn’t bottled by Coca-Cola. They’re also prohibited from wearing Beats headphones — Beats was recently acquired by Apple, and FIFA has a licensing deal with rival Sony. FIFA has also granted sole beer rights in the stadium to Budweiser, prohibiting any other beer from being sold or brought inside. Also among the 18 banned items are inflatable beach balls and flags. But if fans show up in blackface, that’s apparently par for the course. Al Jazeera reports that three fans at Saturday’s France v. Switzerland game dressed in blackface in an apparent attempt to mock Candomblé, an Afro-Brazilian and Caribbean religion. During the Ghana v. Germany match, “at least a dozen” German fans showed up in blackface. Fans in blackface have been documented on social media, invited to do TV interviews, or otherwise shown up in photos. FIFA’s failure to crack down on racism is incompatible with its #SayNoToRacism campaign, which the governing body says is an effort to “fight to eradicate racism and discrimination in football.” The campaign invites supporters to take selfies, “a random selection of which will be shown before kick-off on the giant screens in the stadiums before the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ quarter-finals…Simply post a picture of yourself on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram by 4 July, when the FIFA Anti-Discrimination Days begin, holding a banner reading #SayNoToRacism.” Join the movement and sign the petition HERE
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Time For Soccer To Take A Stand: Petition Demands FIFA No Longer Allow Fans To Wear Blackface At World Cup
