East Midlands MEP signs Written Declaration against violence in sport

East Midlands Conservative MEP Emma McClarkin has recently signed a Written Declaration in the European Parliament against violence in football and other sporting events.

The Declaration, which has so far been signed by 136 MEPs, calls on the European Commission to ‘promote the value of sport and eradicate all forms of violence, intolerance, racism and xenophobia from football and from sporting events generally.’

This is in the wake of recent violence which led to the death of a football fan in Spain.

The Written Declaration has been circulated around members of the European Parliament, and it is hoped that more than half will sign in order to bring the matter to the attention of the European Commission.

Miss McClarkin said:

“We need to be vigilant in stamping out violence and discrimination in football and other sports. Although, thankfully, we no longer see the level of violence and hooliganism that the sport was known for 20 or 30 years ago, we cannot be complacent, and we must work to eradicate it from sport.

“That’s why I’ve signed this Written Declaration – to try to move it up the agenda of the European Commission. We cannot let this issue rest – violence and discrimination of all kinds must not be allowed in sport.”