‘What equal playing field? Players' perspectives on discrimination in football'

Anita Asante, the Black Women’s Player Collective, Giorgio Chiellini, Gaby Garton, Vincent Kompany and Quinn are among the players to open up on all forms of discrimination on the pitch, off the pitch, online and in the boardroom.

As new cases of racism continue to stain football, amid barely-checked abuse on social media, the report seeks to increase understanding of the personal toll caused by discrimination, and calls for more urgency in addressing the issue.

The following are among the demands for impactful change:

• Global tracking of discriminatory abuse at stadiums to better understand the scale of the problem
• More widely-available reporting mechanisms such as anonymous whistleblower apps, along with an effective justice system
• First-aid care for victims and survivors, including wellbeing support
• Make diversity a priority in boardrooms so decision-makers are more representative and equipped to govern on such issues

Anita Asante, a defender for Aston Villa, says discrimination against footballers pervades the lives of players all hours of the day because of social media: “For many players, the abuse doesn’t end when they leave the pitch: the rise of social media offers direct access to players that previous generations thankfully never experienced. Let’s create a ‘team think attitude’, so when a racist, sexist or homophobic incident occurs we can all spring into coordinated action and remove the emotional burden from the players concerned.”

Anderlecht coach Vincent Kompany calls for more boardroom diversity to help address racism and inequality: “Few senior footballing executives will know what it’s like to have bananas thrown at you while you’re on the pitch, or to be subjected to unwelcome and inappropriate sexual comments. It’s not something they have experienced. The people we are asking to develop solutions and policies are not remotely in touch with what the players are experiencing.”

Juventus and Italy captain Giorgio Chiellini makes a personal pledge to be a staunch ally for those who are discriminated against: “Too often I have seen the expectation to tackle racism placed on the shoulders of those most affected. Or seen sexism and homophobia brushed off as a problem that only women and LGBTQIA+ people should address. Those of us who do not directly experience discrimination must stand up and be better allies – as captains, as teammates, as humans.”