George Weah has hailed FIFA\u2019s campaign against racism and hate speech as the most significant positive development in the sport\u2019s history, urging football\u2019s wider community to rally behind efforts to stamp out discrimination.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the FIFA Podcast with former France and Arsenal defender Mikael Silvestre, the Liberian icon\u2014who is also Honorary Captain of FIFA\u2019s newly formed 16-man Players\u2019 Voice Panel\u2014said the governing body is making steady progress toward eliminating a problem that he believes continues to damage football\u2019s growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo see that FIFA is making every effort to eradicate racism and fight against hate speech is the best thing to happen to the game,\u201d Weah told the show. \u201cThis is a game of unity, peace, friendship. We don\u2019t need to hate people.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Players\u2019 Voice Panel, made up of participants from a range of ethnic backgrounds and nationalities across all six FIFA confederations, has been tasked with tracking and advising on how the global response to racism is put into practice.<\/p>\n
Weah, who was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1995, also commended FIFA for pushing the initiative beyond sanctions and into schools and local communities, where young people are encouraged to learn the principles of living together, alongside learning the game itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cFIFA needs to make sure that those who don\u2019t understand that people who love the game need to stay, live and work together are punished,\u201d Weah said. \u201cThose who use vocal language to bully other players need to be punished. What FIFA is doing is very good.\u201d<\/p>\n
The former AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain striker\u2014who later went on to serve as President of Liberia\u2014looked back on a personal path shaped by civil conflict, missed chances at World Cup glory, and the emotional satisfaction of seeing his son, Timothy Weah, represent the United States at the sport\u2019s biggest tournament.<\/p>\n
\u201cI come from Liberia, a small country of five million people. We experienced wars and it was during our civil crises that we pushed our national team to rebuild the image of our country through sports,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Weah recalled how Liberia twice came agonisingly close to reaching the World Cup, falling short by just one point on one occasion, before crediting his wife\u2019s determination for helping Timothy turn the dream into reality.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe will drive far distances to take him to practice,\u201d he said. \u201cToday, Timothy has the chance to show what he learned over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
George Weah has hailed FIFA\u2019s campaign against racism and hate speech as the most significant positive development in the sport\u2019s history, urging football\u2019s wider community to rally behind efforts to stamp out discrimination. Speaking on the FIFA Podcast with former France and Arsenal defender Mikael Silvestre, the Liberian icon\u2014who is also Honorary Captain of FIFA\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2113,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"George Weah Hails FIFA Anti-Racism Efforts in Football","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"George Weah praises FIFA\u2019s campaign against racism and hate speech, calling it football\u2019s biggest win and urging the world to back","mma_seo_breadcrumb_text":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_url":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_hide_ui":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_labels":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n