A new film starring Frank Lampard, Ledley King and Kieran Gibbs is being released to highlight the problem of anti-Semitic abuse at football grounds.
The Y-Word is written by comedian David Baddiel and his brother Ivor. It was produced in conjunction with football’s anti-racism campaigners Kick It Out.
The short movie also features Match of the Day presenter Gary Linker, England Women’s star Rachel Yankey and Zesh Rehman – the first British Asian player to play in the Premier League.
The aim is to raise awareness among fans, while educating on the offensiveness of the word Yid – a derogatory term used to describe a Jewish person.
The Baddiel brothers are long-standing Chelsea supporters who were inspired to make the film by the anti-Jewish abuse they regularly witness at Stamford Bridge. However, David has said it’s not an attempt to censor fans:
“It’s simply to raise awareness that the y-word is – and has been for many, many years – a race hate word. It’s our belief that some football fans may not even realise this, and the film is designed therefore to inform and raise debate.”
Donna Cullen is executive director of Tottenham Hotspur. She accepts that some of her team’s supporters adopt the y-word as a badge of honour, but says this shouldn’t allow others to use it to direct abuse:
“It is unthinkable and wholly unacceptable that, in this day and age, supporters are subjected to anti-Semitic abuse such as hissing to imitate the gas chambers used during the Holocaust in the Second World War.”
The North London club traditionally attract large numbers of fans from Jewish communities and Cullen welcomes the initiative:
“We are committed to eliminating all forms of racism and we shall support efforts to kick anti-Semitism out of the game.”
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