Ghana to observe FIFA Fair Play Day against Malawi

Accra, Sep 7 (IANS): Ghana will observe the annual FIFA Fair Play Day when its national senior male team, the Black Stars, play Malawi in the final first-leg of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations football qualifier at the Accra Sports Stadium here Saturday.

Stand-in skipper of the Black Stars for the game, Asamoah Gyan will read a FIFA Fair Play message before the start of the match, reports Xinhua.

The 16th annual Fair Play Days campaign of FIFA, the world football governing body, kicked off at the semi-finals of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2012 this week.

The campaign will also take place during the official international match dates between Sep 7 and 11.

FIFA recognises the crucial role of fair play and respect in sport and accepts the responsibility to apply them to all sporting activities.

Football, as a team sport, can help to demonstrate the importance of tolerance, discipline, respect, and fair play, not only in the game, but also in life.

Therefore, the FIFA’s Fair Play campaign involves much more than simply promoting fair play on the pitch.

The annual FIFA Fair Play Days have featured prominently on the international match calendar over the past 15 years.

Many associations around the world have taken advantage of FIFA’s annual support to promote fair play on and off the pitch, and activities have been held in dozens of countries around the world, from grassroots to top-flight football and in many community-based projects.

FIFA President Joseph Sepp Blatter has appealed to footballers around the world to show fair play and respect on and off the pitch.