Brisbane Roar, Everton Football Club and the State Government have joined forces to ‘Red Card Racism Today!’ at Queens Park in Brisbane.
Brisbane and Everton face-off in the annual Queensland Roars Against Racism match at Suncorp Stadium tomorrow, but in Brisbane-s busy CBD, the two adversaries put rivalries aside to help promote a worthy campaign
To the beat of African drums, Roar and Everton officials, along with Queensland State Government Minister for Infrastructure and Planning the honourable Stirling Hinchliffe stood together to help kick racism out of the community.
“This fourth Queensland Roars Against Racism event is an event the Queensland Government is really committed to,” right honourable Hinchliffe said.
“Not only because it demonstrates a great opportunity to showcase the great game of football and how it bridges the divides across our community and the world, but as an opportunity for the participants and the supporters of the great game of football to demonstrate how racism is not welcome in their game.
“And the multicultural nature of (Brisbane Roar and Everton FC) are a standing demonstration of the importance of saying no to racism and supporting the important multicultural nature of our community.
“Let-s make sure we all take the game as a great opportunity to red card racism and to remind the whole of the community that multiculturalism is alive and well here in beautiful sunny Queensland.”
A heavyweight of the English Premier League (EPL), Everton FC attracts players from across the globe, reflecting the multicultural diversity of the most exciting football league on the planet.
Everton Vice Life President Keith Tamlin said the anti-racism message was an ideal close to the club-s and indeed, the United Kingdom-s heart.
“This is a campaign that we at Everton support back home,” Tamlin said.
“We are highly involved in similar campaigns, not only on Merseyside but in the United Kingdom as a whole.
“And that country is very much multi-racial now and is following the objects behind your campaign enthusiastically as we as a club do.”
Happy to have Everton FC and the State Government as allies, Roar Chairman Chris Bombolas said the fight to stamp out racism was a ‘full-time- mission for the club.
“We at the club believe this is a full-time campaign for us,” Bombolas said.
“There is no room for racism in our world today and we want it to be a world in which everybody can live together harmoniously.
“We pride on ourselves on living this … each and every day.”
Everton FC captain Phil Neville said sport, and the community, should be strong in the fight against racism.
“There is no room in sport in general for racism and it-s great that we can continue to fight and show this message throughout the world,” Neville said.
Brisbane Roar plays Everton FC in the annual Queensland Roars Against Racism match at Suncorp Stadium on July 17.
Tickets for the match are available through Ticketek on 13 2849 or by visiting the website by clicking here.
