MOSCOW, October 30 (RIA Novosti) — Russian football clubs could be the leaders of interethnic dialogue in the country, EU civil society expert Annelise Oeschger said Thursday at the "Unity and Diversity" conference, held at the Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency.
"My dream is that Moscow football clubs could be leaders in an intercultural dialogue, in fostering unity and diversity," Oeschger, Honorary President of the INGO [International Non-Governmental Organizations] Conference of the Council of Europe, said.
She emphasized that such an approach would be especially welcomed in light of the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted by Russia.
Oeschger added that the coach of one Moscow football team could use his personal experience to promote tolerance in Russian society.
"The coach of Spartak Moscow [football club] is Murat Yakin, who has a Turkish background, but is Swiss. He also had to undergo this whole process of integration, and it was not easy for him. So, I can imagine that people like him and a lot of others could support this [initiative]," she said.
Last week, Piara Powar, the executive director of Football Against Racism said that Russian leaders need to publicly admit to racism in Russian football.
In 2013, CSKA Moscow team was embroiled in scandal earlier in their European campaign, receiving a partial stadium ban after Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure claimed he had been taunted with Russian football fans' chants. Toure called on UEFA to impose tough sanctions on the club.
