User:Manufr006/sandbox/
| Founded | 2008 |
|---|---|
| Location |
|
Area served | UEFA member countries |
| Website | fanseurope |
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) is an independent, representative and democratically organised football fan network with members from more than 42 countries in Europe and beyond [1].Founded in July 2008, it is considered as a legitimate partner for fan issues by institutions like the UEFA [2], the Council of Europe [3] or EPFL (European Professional Football Leagues) [4]. The network also manages a football fan internet forum [5].
Core principles[edit]
All FSE members have to “proactively support” the four “core principles” of the organization [6]:
- Reject of discrimination (based on grounds such as ethnic origin, ability, religion and belief, gender, sexual orientation and age).
- Reject of violence (physical and verbal).
- Empowerment of grassroots football supporters.
- Promotion of a positive football and supporters’ culture, including values such as fair play and good governance.
History[edit]
FSE can trace its history back to the international collaboration by fans’ organisations under the old name of Football Supporters International to provide “Fans’ Embassy” advice, information and support services to fans of national teams at international tournaments.
But the real story of FSE as it now exists, as a democratic, membership-based organisation, began in July 2008, when the UK's Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF) hosted in London the first European Football Fans’ Congress [7].
The London meeting, held at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, discussed the issues which concerned fans across Europe, and gave a great impetus to the development of the network. The following year, in Hamburg, the second European Football Fans’ Congress (EFFC) was held, and alongside the workshops on issues such as discrimination, policing, ticket pricing and commercialisation, the decision was taken to adopt statutes and formally establish the network [8].
Structure[edit]
FSE ist democratically organised. The member basis consists of individual, local, national and transnational members from more than 42 countries in Europe and beyond. Overall, FSE represents around 3 million football fans and is therefore the world’s biggest fan organisation [9].
The FSE committee consists of 8 elected members (basis members vote once a year during the EFFC congress) and 3 appointed members. They take the most important decisions and take part to the conception of the various activities and events.
The FSE coordination office is based in Hamburg (Germany). Its employees and interns coordinate the different initiatives and divisions and are responsible for management and organization issues (i.e. accountancy, law issues, internal and external communication etc.).
Other divisions – such as Fans’ Embassies or the Anti-Discrimination Division – focus on particular themes.
Examples of activities[edit]
EFFC Congress[edit]
The European Football Fan Congress is organized on a yearly basis by Football Supporters Europe and other fan organisations. It is aimed at tackling fan issues and encouraging fan dialogue, fan self-regulation and fan culture through workshops, discussion panels and other debates between football fans and representatives of European football governing bodies and political institutions. It takes place each year in a different city: 2008 in London [10], 2009 in Hamburg [11], 2010 in Barcelona [12], 2011 in Copenhagen [13], 2012 in Istanbul [14] and 2013 in Amsterdam with the participation of Gianni Infantino, UEFA general secretary [15].
Fans’ Action Fund[edit]
Launched in 2013, the “Fans’ Action Fund” [16] is meant to finance fans’ initiatives and projects through the profits generated via an online-shop [17].
Fans’ Embassies[edit]
The Fans’ Embassy concept dates back to services provided for supporters of the England and Germany teams at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, and has evolved through subsequent tournaments. According to the FSE website, “the essential features of a Fans' Embassy service are the provision of accurate, reliable, up-to-date, independent and objective information on any matters of interest to football fans” [18]. The FSE Fans’ Embassy Division currently plans to develop a Smartphone App to provide away fans with such information [19].
Publications[edit]
- REVIVE THE ROAR! special edition – The vision of Football Supporters Europe
- REVIVE THE ROAR! No 2 – The FSE Media guide
- REVIVE THE ROAR! No 3 – KNOW YOUR RIGHTS! Vol.1
- Supporters Charters in Europe – A Handbook for Supporters, Clubs Associations and Leagues (2013)
- Fans’ Embassies – A Handbook
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ http://fanseurope.org/en/about-fse/history-a-mission.html
- ^ http://www.uefa.com/uefa/stakeholders/supporters/index.html
- ^ As an example, the standing committee on dialogue and interactions with fans explained in January 2012 that “Advice and consultation […] could be given notably by Football Supporters Europe (FSE) which represents a trans-national organisation of fan experts and representatives in this field in Europe” - cf. http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/sport/resources/texts/Rec_2012_01_EN_Rec_Fan_Dialogue.pdf
- ^ cf. http://www.epfl-europeanleagues.com/epfl_european_fans_congress.htm
- ^ http://www.fanseurope.org/en/forum
- ^ http://fanseurope.org/en/about-fse/fse-core-principles.html
- ^ cf. http://www.fsf.org.uk/latest-news/view/european-football-fans-congress-launched-at-the-emirates-stadium
- ^ http://fanseurope.org/en/about-fse/history-a-mission.html
- ^ cf. http://www.fanseurope.org/de/fans-congress-2.html
- ^ http://www.fanseurope.org/phocadownload/final%20effc%20booklet.pdf
- ^ http://www.fanseurope.org/de/component/phocadownload/category/3-effc-2009.html?download=66:effc-2009-report-lowres
- ^ http://www.fanseurope.org/de/component/phocadownload/category/7-effc-2010.html?download=53:effc2010-report-download-file-english
- ^ http://www.fanseurope.org/de/component/phocadownload/category/12-european-football-fans-congress-2011.html?download=96:effc-2011-report-web
- ^ http://www.fanseurope.org/de/component/phocadownload/category/18-european-football-fans-congress-2012.html?download=155:effc2012-report
- ^ http://www.uefa.com/uefa/stakeholders/supporters/news/newsid=1973717.html
- ^ http://www.fanseurope.org/en/activities/fse-fans-action-fund-en.html
- ^ http://www.fanseurope.org/en/fse-shop.html
- ^ http://www.fanseurope.org/en/divisions/fans-embassies.html
- ^ Cf. the presentation video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A5Jn-OGRq4