* Visit the Official Website of the Mondiali Antirazzisti
* Listen to an interview from an Austinite on Anarchist Soccer and experiences at the Mondiali Antirazzisti
* FARE - Football Against Racism in Europe
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At the 2007 World Social Forum in Nairobi, sports were officially acknowledged as a tool for solidarity and development, not only as a way to spend our leisure time.
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What's it all About?
The Mondiali Antirazzisti (Anti-Racist World Cup) is a five day soccer tournament and festival held every summer near Bologna in Northern Italy. Over 200 teams compete from 50 countries, playing more than 1000 games on 32 fields, with an attendance of about 6000 people, many of which camp on site. About 2/3 of teams are mixed gender. There are no special requirements or participation fees. Only one rule: to respect each other.
In the Antiracist Square at the festival there are displays made by various participating team, with information about their antiracist activities, as well as debates and exhibitions on a range of topics related to soccer, antiracism and antifascism. The Mondiali is an eco-festival, promoting waste reduction and recycling, and is, as always non-commercial - the tournament, campsite and concerts are free, but all receipts from the bars and restaurants run by the Mondiali are used to cover the costs of the event.
History and Organization
The Mondiali began in 1995 in Montefiorino, moving later to Montecchio and in 2007 to the Salvador Allende Sports Centre in Casalecchio di Reno, near Bolgna. This region, Emilia-Romagna, is a center for the Italian Cooperative Movement and rich in partisan and antifascist history.
The Mondiali Antirazziste is organised by Progetto Ultra and Istoreco, and actively supported by UISP Emilia Romagna (Italian Sport for All) and the FARE (Football Against Racism in Europe) network.
Progetto Ultrà aims to defend the traditional values of popular fan culture and to eliminate intolerant and xenophobic behaviour from inside and outside football stadiums through social projects aimed at fans.
Istoreco, the Institute for the History of the Resistance and Contemporary Society, based in Reggio Emilia, has for the last 35 years undertaken historical research into fascism, the Second World War, Antifascism and the Resistance. In 2007, Istoreco set up the online European Resistance Archive, which collects video interviews with women and men who took part in the antifascist resistance in Europe. The work of the institute has now been extended to include youth antiracism initiatives and international exchanges. Some of the events organised include study trips, remembrance trips, exhibitions, seminars and weekend trips to follow the footsteps of partisans.
Istoreco, the Institute for the History of the Resistance and Contemporary Society
European Resistance Archive
Italian Partisan Association
Italian Resistance Online
Istituto Storico Grossetano della Resistenza
The Purpose
The Mondiali was started to prove that people coming from different places and representing diverse cultures could coexist peacefully and it has continued thanks to the support, warmth and enthusiasm of all the participants: ultras, fans, migrant groups, activists from more than 1000 associations and all those who took part in the event. Throughout the years, the Mondiali has evolved to include new sports such as basketball, volleyball and cricket, more and more cultural events, dance, music, art and debates, but the spirit remains the same.
“I remember the times when we began to roll together, the ball and I”. That’s how Osvaldo Soriano (the Argentine writer, journalist and football lover) envisioned “his” football and how we picture it too. The most beautiful and enjoyable game in the world, as we’re all rolling together, whether on a perfect turf or a stony ground, without barriers of any kind.
On a football pitch we’re all the same. Wearing shorts and a football jersey, running after a ball. It’s not important whether you’re dishing out veronicas and rabonas or you can hardly tackle the ball; if you pray Yahweh or take your shoes off before you enter the Mosque; if your skin is ebony or you get sunburnt under the April sun. It’s just about those two: the ball and the goal. And then there’s friends and team-mates, opponents and brothers. Nothing else.
That’s what the Mondiali Antirazzisti is about.
At a time when differences are considered wrong, when someone who is different is seen as an enemy to overcome, we want to transform the opponent into somebody we have to understand, who we must confront ourselves with. Someone we can share with at least our football pitch, if not our whole existence.
Fighting Border and Social Issues through the Antiracist World Cup
In past years many social projects were born and grew thanks to the Antiracist World Cup. On the other hand, in Italy for example, we’ve had to see a new repressive law against popular football fan culture, the Bossi-Fini law and the new Amato-Ferrero proposal on immigration issues. We’ve had to get used to CCTV, attacks by the media against illegal immigrants, Roma camps burned down. We’ve had to face the reality of dozens of migrants dying in the Mediterranean Sea while trying to make it to Europe.
We want to be free, as men and women, regardless of what our passport reads! We reclaim our dignity in spite of our income!
It’s not only about top-to-bottom discrimination, however. Quite often we might be the ones who don’t grant respect although we’re asking for it. The FARE campaign against homophobia and sexism proves to us how many things we must still change: behaviours, chants, jokes. Even today, here, at the Antiracist World Cup.
At Our Antiracist World Cup We Play with Our Own Rules:
* It’s a non-competitive tournament. Competitiveness is reserved for other tournament).
* Semi-finals and finals are decided by penalty shoot-out to prevent anyone from taking final victory in the football tournament too seriously.
* It’s just a game, winning isn’t important: we want our tournament to be a party for everyone, not only for those who make it to the final!
* We play with footballs that have been certified child labour-free.
* Players are only permitted to wear training shoes. Boots/shoes with studs/cleats are NOT permitted.
* Team members must all wear t-shirts of the same colour.
* All teams are invited to bring an antiracist memento to exchange at the beginning of matches.
* Not all of the pitches will be used on the Sunday and therefore some will be available for friendly matches.
Some Rules to Discourage Violent Behavior:
* The first bad foul by a team, anywhere on the field, will result in a penalty being awarded to the opposing team.
* The second bad foul by a team will result in the match being awarded to the opposing team.
* If, during a match, both teams are guilty of excessive competitiveness then the match will be declared null and void.
* If any team forfeits two matches as a result of unsporting behaviour then that team will be expelled from the tournament.
Some General Rules:
* Each team consists of 6 outfield players and a goalkeeper.
* Each pitch is approximately 40 x 20 m.
* Each match shall have a duration of twenty minutes.
* There is no limit to substitutions.
* Throw-ins to be taken with the feet.
* The goalkeeper can pick up the ball from a back pass.
* There is no off-side.
