Jacco van Sterkenburg responds in NRC to the action plan against racism in football of the KNVB and Rijksoverheid. The plan is a step in the right direction, but will not succeed if the KNVB itself does not become a more inclusive organisation. Attention must also be paid to the role of football media and social media.
"On Saturday I was a spectator at the launch of the plan of the KNVB and the Rijksoverheid against racism in football. The initiative is a direct response to the explicit racism against Excelsior player Mendes Moreira in November 2019, after which the Rijksoverheid and the football world have joined forces to make a statement. As they themselves say in the 'attack plan': "We're done with it!"
But after many years of research on this theme, one thing is clear to me: racism is a very complex problem and a firm statement alone is not enough. So it's time for an analysis: what is the added value of the attack plan?"
- Associate professor
