Ricardo, Taggart & Pascanu Show Racism The Red Card
Portugal international full-back Ricardo Pereira and Development Squad defender Alex Pascanu accompanied former Foxes favourite Gerry Taggart in the Banks Lounge at King Power Stadium to host an educational event for young people from local schools.
In a joint venture by the LCFC Community Trust, Premier League Primary Stars and SRtRC, primary school children from across the county were invited to Filbert Way to discuss the negative impact racism and hate crime has on society as a whole.
Leicester City has worked with the SRtRC campaign, established in 1996, consistently over many years to educate about racism and to promote positive behaviour at a young age.
The organisation, which delivers training to more than 50,000 people every year, aims to utilise the high-profile world of football and its players to tackle racism in daily life - using the popularity of football as a draw to events such as these.
“I think it’s very important to do that kind of event to show the kids the right way to act… what is right, what is wrong,” Ricardo, 25, told LCFC TV.
“Before football players, we are human beings and I think it’s very important to explain to the kids because sometimes they see us like figures and we have to show respect for everybody despite the colour of their skin, religion, sexual orientation... I think that’s very important.”
Ricardo was joined on the discussion panel by former Foxes defender Taggart, who made 142 appearances for the Club between 1998 and 2004.
The panel fielded a range of questions from the young audience about how to counteract acts of racism and to encourage others to treat everyone fairly in society.
Speaking after the event, Taggart said: “This is a lesson in life. It’s a way of educating young people and adults similarly how to conduct themselves in an honourable fashion.
“Unfortunately for myself growing up as a youngster, we didn’t have this kind of education around so it’s an important part of the modern day life that people are educated and continually educated that this has to be stamped out.
“It’s just important that everyone’s seen in the same light and given the same opportunity throughout life, by educating the younger generation, and hopefully one day we can see an end to this.”
For the LCFC Community Trust, meanwhile, the SRtRC movement is one which is designed to encapsulate the influence a football club can have on conveying such an important message to young people about racism.
“Us being the LCFC Community Trust and being out on the local schools, working with the kids, they need to be exposed to what it’s like and football is the most powerful way to do that here at Leicester City Football Club,” said Ryan Bromyard, School Sports Officer.
“There’s a lot of pressure on players, especially nowadays, and for them to expose their experiences with the children is massively important. They can educate the young children for the next generation.”
For more information about the LCFC Community Trust, click HERE.