The Government is giving £200,000 to a charity that uses football stars to fight racism and intolerance, it has been revealed. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the money would help ensure the national game was not “perverted” by the “insidious influence of the far right”.
Show Racism the Red Card organises professional footballers to run workshops, tackling the views of extremists. The state funding, from the Communities and Local Government budget, will cover lessons for 9,000 young people, resources for teachers and research into racism.
Mr Clegg said: “Our cultural touchstones such as football must not be perverted. The minds of our youth must not be corrupted by the insidious influence of the far right. Show Racism the Red Card have proven their ability to use football as a means to tackle racism and intolerance, and I look forward to seeing the results they achieve with this campaign.”
The charity’s founder, former Newcastle United and Portsmouth goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, said: “The announcement today by the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is another step down the road of our fight against racism, not only in football but in wider society. Together I am sure this is a fight that we can win.”
Charity patron and ex-England manager Graham Taylor said: “This is an organisation that has done so much to help and educate young people against racism and it thoroughly deserves all the support it can get.”