Zurich (AP) – Football great George Weir, who served as Liberia’s state president, leads a panel of experts for former players at FIFA. Fighting racismthe governing body said Friday.
Winning Ballondoor as the world’s best male player in 1995, Weir will be joining an audio panel of 16 powerful players by the team’s American goalkeepers at the 1999 Women’s World Cup.
“The panel will monitor and advise against anti-racism initiatives,” FIFA said in a statement:
The input of high-level players was promised last May, when FIFA President Gianni Infantino resumed a coordinated global effort against racism and discrimination in the game. It urged all 211 member federations to prosecute and sanction the cases more efficiently.
FIFA announced the panel a few days later Punish a coalition of six membersIncludes Argentina, the defending champion for racist or discriminatory abuse by audiences at the Men’s World Cup qualifying game in June.
The Player Panel “provides support and practical advice on how to join them in opposition to what is a criminal act in many countries,” FIFA said.
FIFA was called Weir, who starred as goal scorers for the panel’s honorary captain, Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan.
“I am honored to serve this role,” said Weah, who was Liberian president for six years until January 2024.
FIFA previously won the anti-racism task force in 2013, playing for Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure and later Manchester City, forwarding Jozy Altidore.
That task force was created in Fallout from a case of infamous abuse directed by a fan of AC Milan player Kevin Prince Boten. Report to then-President of FIFA, Sepp Blatter shutdown By his successor in 2016 Infantino.
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FIFA Player Audio Panels: George Ware (Liberia), Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo), Mercy Aquid (Nigeria), Ivan Cordoba (Colombia), Didier Drogba (Ivo West Coast), Harilu Fadiga (Senegal), Jessica Haier (Brazil) Jihai (China), Blaze Matuidi (France), Aya Miyama (Japan), Lotta Sherin (Sweden), Briana Scully (USA), Mikal Silvestle (France), Juan Pablo Sorin (Argentina).
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