Geneva, Switzerland, October 29, 2024 – The World Leagues Association (WLA) and FIFPro have signed today in Geneva at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) a comprehensive set of recommendations for leagues and player unions to combat discrimination on and off the field.
These recommendations have been developed under the umbrella of the Global Labour Agreement (GLA), an agreement signed by two organizations 2022, which aims to enhance social dialogue in football at all levels. The GLA Committee on Combating Discriminatory Incidents, composed of representatives of leagues and player unions identified issues, best practices and recommendations to prevent discrimination in football.
These recommendations set new industry standards for dealing with discriminatory incidents, underlining the commitment of both leagues and unions to building an inclusive environment in football. It also includes actionable guidelines for reporting discriminatory incidents, education and awareness campaigns, and enforceable measures to hold offenders accountable. It will be a tool for the World Leagues Association and FIFPRO to continue assisting their members to improve football industry standards.
This initiative, supported by the ILO, is a major milestone in ensuring that football aligns with international labour standards and continues to promote inclusivity on and off the field.
Manuela Tomei, Assistant Director-General for Governance, Rights and Dialogue at the ILO stated “The ILO is pleased to support the Recommendations which were signed today. It is encouraging to see this important issue being tackled from both the angle of combatting discrimination as well as promoting occupational safety and health in view of the impact such incidents can have on players’ physical and mental health.”
Jerome Perlemuter, General Secretary of the WLA stated. “Discrimination has no place in our sport. These recommendations, born from the work of our members and under the umbrella of the International Labor Organization will help national leagues and player unions with tools to combat discrimination more effectively and create safer environment.”
Stephane Burchkalter, Acting General Secretary of FIFPro said: “WLA and FIFPRO aim to improve the governance of the professional football environment by embracing their responsibility as employer and employee representatives on a worldwide level. We’re committed to safeguarding the players and the sustainability of the football industry, working collaboratively on urgent issues such as discriminatory abuse during matches. The work of the committee provides examples of best practices for leagues and unions and is an important milestone in our collaboration under the GLA.”
