Rules are important
"Working together with the young people we were able to develop a number of interesting rules that were aimed at promoting fair play and not predominantly about the game of football
itself. It's important to remember that football as a game is not good in
itself. Indeed, football can also stir up conflict and make aggression
worse. Our rules, however, were designed to ensure a fair game aimed at working out
conflicts. For example we allowed girls to play in the teams and made it a rule that only girls were allowed to score the first
goal! This introduced a whole new dynamic into the way in which the teams played
together! Another rule is that you're only allowed to win provided you have collected enough fair-play
points.“
Success and clear boundaries
"Despite a large number of
setbacks, we were successful. We managed to meet our most important goal. Instead of facing each other in a hostile environment as
enemies, young kids began to feel like partners in the implementation of football
tournaments. Friendships were even made as part of the project. The same results were also achieved in a similar project in Brandenburg, Germany.
Yet for all that has been
achieved, we can only do so much with "street football for peace", can only bring young people into contact with their piers and with the community and only introduce them to the rules that are necessary to allow people to live together
successfully. These measures are usually able to influence young people for one or two years at the
most. What happens after that is out of our hands. Then it's up to the city and society to provide
education, work and a sense of community.“ |
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Street football to promote tolerance - the rules of the game
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Small-pitch football: 4-6 children per team. |
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Mixed teams: at least 2 girls and 2 boys in each team. |
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A girl has to score a goal for the goals scored by the boys to be counted. |
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The game is played without a goalkeeper. The opposing team is awarded a free kick for an intentional hand ball. They are allowed to have a free shot from their own half at an unprotected goal. |
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Football has to be played fairly: the winners (on goals) get three points, the losers 1 point. Both teams get two points for a draw. The teams can get up to 3 fairness points. |
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The referee is replaced by one of the more experienced players: The rules are discussed before the game, the game is carried out by the teams themselves and the points are agreed upon at the end of the game. |
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