The Cost of Visibility: Rascism in European Football

The visibility that comes with being a professional football player can be a double-edged sword. On the one end there is recognition and financial reward while on the other, there is increased scrutiny. For players of colour this heightened visibility often comes at a high cost.

 Please join us for a critical discussion on racism in European football and get insights into the rarely explored lives of professional football players of colour. Don’t miss the opportunity to engage with academics and industry practitioners on how to help create a more inclusive and equitable football future.

This webinar is an initiative by Erasmus University, hosted by FIFPRO in partnership with the Fare Network and UEFA.

Speakers’ bios:

 Prof. dr Jacco van Sterkenburg:
Prof. dr. Jacco van Sterkenburg is Endowed Professor ‘Race, Inclusion and Communication, specifically in relation to football and media’ at Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands. His Chair is supported by the main international football partners, Fare, UEFA and FIFPRO. He has published extensively on ‘race’, ethnicity, racism and other forms of discrimination in football, with a specific focus on mediated football and football coaching and leadership.

Erica Puppo:

Head of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at FIFPRO.

Palesa Mashigo:

Palesa Mashigo is a news producer turned academic. She is currently working as a researcher and lecturer at Erasmus University's Media and Communication Department. She is a PhD candidate for a research project that explores race, racism and inclusion in professional European football. The project is a collaboration between Erasmus University, FARE Network, FIFPRO and UEFA. Palesa has a Master's in Media, Culture and Society, from Erasmus University. She received her Bachelor in Journalism (BJourn) from Rhodes University in South Africa where she specialised in television broadcasting.