English Football Association Visits Israel To Further Assist in National Campaign Against Racism in Soccer

A senior delegation from the English Football Association (FA) visited Israel last week for discussions with NIF and the Israeli FA about the future direction of the campaign to combat racism in soccer, a reflection of racist attitudes in other sectors of Israeli society.

An event in Jaffa, where the English visitors saw Jewish and Arab teenage players participating in a special program for disadvantaged youth, was widely covered by the Israeli press. Eliezer Ya'ari, Executive Director of NIF Israel, was quoted in Maariv: "In the past two years since NIF began working on the subject of racism in soccer, there has been much more awareness of the problem," he said. "There is now even a new law prohibiting racist chants at soccer matches."

The English delegation provided a timely boost for the campaign by presenting new ideas to the Israeli FA and facilitating NIF's ability to act as a catalyst in introducing new anti-racism programs in the upcoming soccer season.

NIF Israel Executive Director Eliezer Ya'ari (far left) and former Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg (fourth from left) with the English FA delegation.