KICK IT OUT & CHELSEA FC PARTNER ON CAMPAIGN AGAINST ANTISEMITISM

December 7, 2018

Kick It Out, England’s football’s equality and inclusion organisation, have partnered with  Premier League side Chelsea Football Club in a campaign to tackle antisemitism in sport and highlight the prevalence of antisemitic abuse in English Football.

The organisations have released a short film which highlights the history of antisemitism and encourages people to report abuse. The three-minute long video comes in conjunction with the publishing of Kick It Out’s incident reporting statistics from the 2017/18 season, which revealed that antisemitism comprised 10 percent of all discrimination reports to the organisation.

Chelsea FC and the film’s director, Ivor Baddiel have donated the footage to Kick It Out to utilise as an educational and awareness raising tool, which harrowingly showcases the effects of anti semitism.

Commenting on her role in the film, Eni Aluko, who currently plays for Juventus in Italy, said: "The problem of antisemitism in football isn’t as widely discussed as it should be...Jewish people have always been part of the football community, on and off the pitch, so it's essential we talk about antisemitism and the impact it can have on the Jewish community, the game and society as a whole. I’m proud to play my part in that conversation."

Keeley Baptista, Head of Partnerships at Kick it Out, added: “We are pleased to support Chelsea FC’s wider work around antisemitism – it has no place in football and must be reported. It is the work of all of us to do our part and ensure it is eliminated from the game.”

Kick It Out have also released a training guide for match day stewards to help improve awareness of antisemitic behaviour - and the role they and their club play in tackling it - with the aim of creating a more inclusive match day experience for all supporters.

The resource, produced alongside the Community Security Trust (CST), offers information on antisemitism and the current laws around it, as well as advice on what action can be taken under The Football (Offences) Act 1991.

Kick It Out said: “We believe the booklet will provide vital education for stewards and safety officers across the country to understand, identify and tackle antisemitism in football stadiums.

“We urge all EFL clubs to utilise this resource and ensure matchday staff are fully prepared and trained to deal with any abuse that may take place.”

WARNING: The film contains offensive language and footage that viewers may find distressing. The film can be viewed below.