Last May, the International Football Federation (FIFA) presented its plan to combat racism at its seventy-fourth congress. A little less than four months later, the body will activate one of the five measures put in place. On the occasion of the U20 Women’s World Cup, which will be held from August 31 to September 22 in Colombia, players and team officials will have the opportunity to report any racist incident. To do so, they will have to make a specific gesture.
As confirmed RMC Friday evening, and as was presented in May, it will be enough to cross the arms at the wrists, in front of their chest, in order to form an X. Then informed, the central referee will have the possibility of triggering a procedure divided into three stages, with first of all the immediate interruption of the match, with a rapid resumption. In the event of recurrence of the incidents, the interruption of the game will then be longer and everyone will have to leave the field. Finally, the match will be definitively stopped in the event of persistence of the problems.
Eradicate racism
FIFA President Gianni Infantino today confirmed the activation of this measure to combat racism, saying it was ” a key first step in empowering players ” in the face of this type of incident. He also recalled that the measure had been unanimously approved by the 211 member associations of FIFA. The protocol has thus been made mandatory in all federations.
And Gianni Infantino concludes: “ I would like to thank (the federations) for their determination and efforts, in order to achieve our common goal of eradicating racism once and for all, both in football and in society. »
