KNVB also involves amateur clubs in OneLove action: ‘Was need for it’
NOS Football–
The OneLove campaign announced by the KNVB for next weekend in professional soccer has been extended by the Football Association to amateur soccer.
The KNVB hopes that in addition to as many captains in the premier league and Keuken Kampioen Divisie as possible, captains in amateur soccer will also want to wear the special colored band with the OneLove logo. The association has also sent all amateur clubs a flag to show that everyone is welcome.
OneLove is a campaign that stands for inclusiveness and connection and against all forms of racism and discrimination. Next weekend the action will take place because of the International Day Against Racism and Discrimination on March 21. The previous OneLove action in professional soccer was in mid-October, then in observance of Coming Out Day.
The previous OneLove action in professional soccer took place in mid-October, then during the week of Coming Out Day. At the time, captains Orkun Kökcü (Feyenoord) and Redouan El Yaakoubi (Excelsior) refused to wear the special band. At Feyenoord, Gernot Trauner served as captain once against AZ and he did play with the OneLove band.
El Yaakoubi wore a white band with the word “respect” on it in black letters in the away match against Ajax.
‘Respect for everyone’
Feyenoord captain Kökcü will play Sunday’s league match against Ajax wearing a custom captain’s armband. Kökcü’s band features the text “Respect for everyone. “In this way I want to contribute to the underlying message of this action, which is a statement against racism and discrimination,” the midfielder said.
“The text on our captain’s armband, which I will also proudly wear again on Sunday, covers the load better for me and also suits me better.”
The KNVB has no problems with Kökcü’s different band. “With OneLove, the KNVB, together with the Eredivisie CV, Keuken Kampioen Divisie, central government and amateur soccer, wants to propagate that everyone is welcome in soccer. We are for connection and against racism and all forms of discrimination. Kökcü also supports this message and that is what it is all about,” said director of professional soccer Marianne van Leeuwen.
Excelsior is still figuring out which band El Yaakoubi will play with Sunday against SC Cambuur.
