THE anti-sectarianism organisation Nil By Mouth has launched a bid to become the official charity partner of the Scottish Professional Football League.
THE anti-sectarianism organisation Nil By Mouth has launched a bid to become the official charity partner of the Scottish Professional Football League.
The charity, set up after the sectarian murder of Mark Scott in 1996, hopes to tap into the high-profile nature of the SPFL partnership to drive forward initiatives to crack down on the problem.
The SPFL announced last week it was asking for applications for groups to become the first official charity partner. The successful organisation will work with all the 42 clubs and benefit from advertising opportunities.
Nil By Mouth said its proposals included free training to players, staff, officials and supporters groups, sessions for schools and youth projects in partnership with clubs and marketing campaigns at high-profile matches.
The charity's campaign director, Dave Scott, said a third of all arrests for sectarian behaviour were related to football matches and a partnership could help promote football as a positive voice in the anti-sectarian campaign.
He said: ??Sectarianism has always presented a challenge to the game in Scotland.
"That is why we want to work with the SPFL to create positive change and improve Scottish football's reputation and the matchday experience for tens of thousands of supporters.
"The League's call for a charity partnership presents us with an exciting opportunity to help clubs provide solutions to these problem and an opportunity for the vast majority of decent football fans to find their voice on this issue."
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