An: Peter Knäbel, Sandro Stroppa, the Central Board and the Delegates’ Assembly of the Swiss Football Association
Stop Racism in Swiss Football – the Swiss Football Association must take responsibility
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Racism has no place in Swiss football. Yet recent documented incidents have exposed just how difficult it remains for those affected to obtain clear procedures, effective protection and meaningful consequences. When racism occurs on the pitch or in the stands, those affected must be able to rely on clear procedures, effective protection and meaningful consequences from the association.
The Swiss Football Association must therefore fundamentally reform how it deals with racist incidents. If racism is to be addressed consistently, transparently and effectively in Swiss football, the following reforms are necessary.
No more excuses - end racism in Swiss football.
Our specific demands to the Swiss Football Association are as follows:
1. Binding intervention protocol for racist incidents
The Swiss Football Association must establish a uniform, transparent and mandatory procedure for handling racist incidents. The UEFA three-step racism protocol must be applied in all leagues and competitions:
When an incident occurs, referees must stop the match and make an announcement calling for the immediate cessation of racist behaviour. If the behaviour continues, the match must be stopped again and the teams must leave the pitch and return to the locker rooms for 10 minutes, followed by another announcement. If the behaviour still continues after the second interruption, the match must be abandoned immediately.
This procedure must be mandatory and cannot be left to the discretion of individual officials. All incidents must be fully reported by referees and clubs. Available evidence, including video recordings, must be taken into account.
2. Complete and transparent investigation of all racist incidents
The Swiss Football Association must ensure that every racist incident is investigated fully, independently, promptly and in a transparent and comprehensible manner. The association must disclose which investigations were carried out, which facts were established and how decisions were reached. The public must be informed appropriately - while respecting personal privacy laws - about the results and consequences. Racism must neither be relativized nor trivialized and it must not be handled exclusively internally.
3. Clear and deterrent sanctions against clubs and individuals
The Swiss Football Association must introduce a nationwide, binding and publicly accessible sanctions framework. Officials, club members, spectators and players who engage in racist behaviour must face immediate and impactful sanctions. Sanctions must be clearly defined in transparent regulations with specified penalty amounts. They must be significant enough to be felt by the perpetrators and must have a clear deterrent effect.
These sanctions include substantial fines, point deductions and additional sporting measures such as match suspensions or matches played behind closed doors. Decisions on sanctions must be clearly justified and publicly communicated.
4. Mandatory and regular training for referees
Racism prevention must become a mandatory component of referee education. All referees must regularly participate in compulsory training programs. These trainings must establish clear standards for recognizing racist behaviour, outline immediate intervention measures and explain the relevant legal framework. Uniform rules must apply across all leagues and competitions. These training programs must be developed and supported by anti-racism experts.
5. Mandatory prevention programs as a licensing requirement
Implementation of anti-discrimination programs must be a mandatory requirement for club licensing. These programs provide protection for players and operational certainty for clubs.
Minimum requirements include:
The Swiss Football Association must therefore fundamentally reform how it deals with racist incidents. If racism is to be addressed consistently, transparently and effectively in Swiss football, the following reforms are necessary.
No more excuses - end racism in Swiss football.
Our specific demands to the Swiss Football Association are as follows:
1. Binding intervention protocol for racist incidents
The Swiss Football Association must establish a uniform, transparent and mandatory procedure for handling racist incidents. The UEFA three-step racism protocol must be applied in all leagues and competitions:
When an incident occurs, referees must stop the match and make an announcement calling for the immediate cessation of racist behaviour. If the behaviour continues, the match must be stopped again and the teams must leave the pitch and return to the locker rooms for 10 minutes, followed by another announcement. If the behaviour still continues after the second interruption, the match must be abandoned immediately.
This procedure must be mandatory and cannot be left to the discretion of individual officials. All incidents must be fully reported by referees and clubs. Available evidence, including video recordings, must be taken into account.
2. Complete and transparent investigation of all racist incidents
The Swiss Football Association must ensure that every racist incident is investigated fully, independently, promptly and in a transparent and comprehensible manner. The association must disclose which investigations were carried out, which facts were established and how decisions were reached. The public must be informed appropriately - while respecting personal privacy laws - about the results and consequences. Racism must neither be relativized nor trivialized and it must not be handled exclusively internally.
3. Clear and deterrent sanctions against clubs and individuals
The Swiss Football Association must introduce a nationwide, binding and publicly accessible sanctions framework. Officials, club members, spectators and players who engage in racist behaviour must face immediate and impactful sanctions. Sanctions must be clearly defined in transparent regulations with specified penalty amounts. They must be significant enough to be felt by the perpetrators and must have a clear deterrent effect.
These sanctions include substantial fines, point deductions and additional sporting measures such as match suspensions or matches played behind closed doors. Decisions on sanctions must be clearly justified and publicly communicated.
4. Mandatory and regular training for referees
Racism prevention must become a mandatory component of referee education. All referees must regularly participate in compulsory training programs. These trainings must establish clear standards for recognizing racist behaviour, outline immediate intervention measures and explain the relevant legal framework. Uniform rules must apply across all leagues and competitions. These training programs must be developed and supported by anti-racism experts.
5. Mandatory prevention programs as a licensing requirement
Implementation of anti-discrimination programs must be a mandatory requirement for club licensing. These programs provide protection for players and operational certainty for clubs.
Minimum requirements include:
- Annual training for players, coaches and officials.
- A formal Code of Conduct.
- A documented prevention concept with clear reporting channels.
- Clubs failing to meet these standards must not receive a license. This ensures binding protection for victims and safeguards the integrity of the clubs.
All incidents must be documented and reported to the association.
The implementation of these programs must be reviewed annually by the Swiss Football Association. Clubs that fail to meet the minimum requirements must not receive a license.
This serves as binding protection for those affected and for the club itself. Through clear and structured implementation, conflicts can be identified at an early stage, incidents can be addressed consistently and both victims and clubs can be better protected.
The implementation of these programs must be reviewed annually by the Swiss Football Association. Clubs that fail to meet the minimum requirements must not receive a license.
This serves as binding protection for those affected and for the club itself. Through clear and structured implementation, conflicts can be identified at an early stage, incidents can be addressed consistently and both victims and clubs can be better protected.
All demands apply to every form of discrimination as well as psychological and physical violence.
What we are not demanding
We are not seeking to discredit individuals, nor are we demanding special treatment. Rather than headlines, we call for fair and independent procedures and binding rules that protect those affected and safeguard the integrity of Swiss football.
This petition is not directed against football. It aims to protect it.
Fairness, respect and safety must be guaranteed for everyone - especially for the children who stand on our pitches today and trust that adults and institutions will take responsibility and protect them.
Warum ist das wichtig?
Racism has no place in Swiss football, yet it continues to affect the football community.
Documented cases show that the Swiss Football Association's handling of racism often falls short, revealing weaknesses in existing structures and procedures. Even when accusations are confirmed and video evidence exists, the consequences often remain minimal. Transparent investigations, independent inquiries and clear communication are not always guaranteed for those affected or for the public. For victims, this can feel like being left alone in a system that is supposed to protect them. The lack of clear consequences also signals to those who discriminate, that their behaviour carries little risk.
Documented cases show that the Swiss Football Association's handling of racism often falls short, revealing weaknesses in existing structures and procedures. Even when accusations are confirmed and video evidence exists, the consequences often remain minimal. Transparent investigations, independent inquiries and clear communication are not always guaranteed for those affected or for the public. For victims, this can feel like being left alone in a system that is supposed to protect them. The lack of clear consequences also signals to those who discriminate, that their behaviour carries little risk.
Symbolic campaigns alone are not enough. To truly protect everyone, especially children and young players who trust adults and institutions, the fight against racism must include binding rules, clear responsibilities and consistent, visible action.
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