Chelsea
chairman Bruce Buck said the club's fight against discrimination is "in our
DNA" as the Blues step up their latest Say No To Anti-Semitism initiative.
Owner Roman Abramovich will fund an extended programme in Israel that brings
Jewish and Arab children together in football coaching sessions.
The expanded Playing Fair, Leading Peace programme will break down barriers
and combat discrimination by mixing communities in Israel.
Buck lauded Chelsea's latest steps to counter anti-Semitism, racism and
discrimination - and insisted the three and a half years of club campaigns
have altered their attitudes forever.
"Fighting discrimination and anti-Semitism is in our DNA now," Buck said.
"And we don't see any end in sight for stopping these programmes, we're just
going to keep going on and on, and hopefully we'll keep making a difference.
"We've seen just this week what happened post the England game and that is
unacceptable.
"And football clubs are in a special position to be able to do things about
it through the power of football, and we and other clubs will do that and
want to do that.
"Our No To Hate and Say No To Anti-Semitism campaigns are worldwide
programmes.
"From our perspective and from the perspective of the people that work
directly on these programmes, hopefully we leave an imprint everywhere we
go."
Chelsea have no plans to relent on their fight against discrimination,
approaching four years since the launch of their Say No To Anti-Semitism
campaign.
Buck will speak at the Global Forum For Combating Anti-Semitism this week,
having been asked to describe the "Chelsea model" of taking a stand against
discrimination and abuse.
Revealing the club's pride at the long-running stance being praised
worldwide, Buck also expanded on the new work in Israel.
The Chelsea Foundation, the Peres Centre for Peace and Innovation and the
Israeli Football Association have combined to extend the Playing Fair,
Leading Peace programme.
More than 1,000 Arab and Jewish children each year will be brought together
through football, with Chelsea funding the expanded set-up and club staff
training local coaches.
"This also brings into play the experience we have of coaching, and coaching
young people," Buck said.
"Part of this project is where our coaches train the trainers, so we
leverage our ability.
"We train trainers and then they work with the youngsters.
"And I think we all know that education is the key to solving some of the
discrimination problems we have in this world.
"We say we're leveraging football, but we're actually leveraging the
leveraging of football.
"Hating people does not come naturally, it's something learned over time.
"And to the extent we can do things to change that learning process and
educate people not to hate, then it's a win-win for everybody.
"It's always been one of our objectives to encourage other football clubs
and football institutions to get involved also.
"We're not trying to be out there by ourselves, we want others to get
involved in all this.
"If we're contacted by clubs, which we regularly are, then we provide all
the insight we can to help them move forward with their own programmes."
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