It may be a big game between England and Wales tonight on the pitch, but there has been plenty of questions about the various issues in Qatar. One of those is that the captains backed out of wearing One Love armbands after FIFA threatened them with yellow cards. This decision both by FIFA and the captains/football associations promoted questions from far and wide.
St Clement Football Club are using tonight’s match as a way to bring a group of youngsters together and help educate them about the One Love campaign.
Christine van der Vliet told Sportscast Jersey ‘We are only too happy to show our support for the ONELOVE campaign. The campaign features a logo of a heart filled with different colours which represents people’s pride in their heritage, race, gender identity and sexual orientation. The young people will be all arriving at the club before the game to eat together and make their ONELOVE arm bands which they will wear watching tonight’s game between England and Wales.’
Christine continued, ‘We have a very clear policy at St Clement’s Football Club and that is football is for all no matter your gender, sexual orientation and socioeconomic standing or religious beliefs. We are trying very hard to close diversity gaps for young people and promote the fact that we are all different but the same.
St Clement FC have been supporting different campaigns which are often promoted by tje Jersey Football Association. ‘As a club, St Clement’s are constantly looking at ways in which to become more inclusive and diverse and believe football is such a great platform to channel this education for our young people by uniting people through football. We promote the Respect Campaign which the JFA has rolled out, we have ‘Taken the Knee’ when the Black Lives Matter Campaign was introduced and we were the first Club on the island to wear Rainbow Laces.’
Christine concluded saying ‘There is very clear research that young people who learn about diversity often feel safer and more comfortable with cultural differences later in life so what better way to support and promote this than through football!’
Well done to all at St Clement for supporting the ONELOVE campaign, and I hope they youngsters enjoy their night and continue learning!
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