LALIGA reaffirms commitment towards hate-free football with their Christmas 2024 campaign

c/o LALIGA

With the holiday season approaching, LALIGA reaffirmed its commitment to address hate with their Christmas 2024 campaign, using a message that children "see everything" due to their innocence.

This year's work to address and eradicate intolerant behaviour inside and outside of stadia has been highlighted with several key milestones, including a historic first-ever court conviction for racist insults that took place at the Mestalla, the impact of the MOOD tool in monitoring hate speech on social media, and the consolidation of agreements with the Ministry of Inclusion and with autonomous communities.

Thanks to the first conviction due to racist insults in a Spanish football stadium, it lays the groundwork for effective action against anyone attacking another's dignity. Such a ruling provides a paradigm shift in addressing hate speech through legal certainty, serving as a guide for future cases down the line. As such, a second legal judgment already was rendered this past September, consolidating the legal criteria on potential consequences regarding such behavior.

The collaboration with the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration over the use of MOOD, a pioneering tool for monitoring hate speech on social media, has made immediate dividends with a 45% drop in hate speech and a 90% drop in racist mentions compared to the end of last season. Such decrease illustrates the impact of coordinated actions and highlights the importance of technology in detecting and preventing intolerant behavior.

LALIGA has also forged closer ties with sixteen autonomous communities by sharing experiences and good practices to addressing racism and xenophobia on a regional level. 94 percent of the communities have already implemented specific measures in this area, proof of collective mobilization at all levels. Moreover, the involvement of clubs, security forces, athletes, media and political representatives has led to a stronger and more coordinated ecosystem against hate.

On its own over the past eight years, LALIGA has launched over seven hundred initiatives and projects connected with this cause at all levels, aimed towards education, raising awareness, and reporting. One such project is its Futura Afición program, which has been integrated into the FUNDACION LALIGA as it instills the values of respect and fair play from as early in the youth level and reinforce the message that the sport of football should lead the way with regards to integration, self-improvement and diversity.

In addition, LALIGA has taken this internationally by joining the Fit for Life alliance established by UNESCO, a global front in the fight against racism. Their domestic experience and track record in raising awareness, education, and generating tools to promote a fairer, more inclusive, and a more respectful sporting environment would come in handy in the larger sphere.

As the page turns to 2025, LALIGA remains committed to highlight football's role as a level for social change. LALIGA Director of Brand and Strategy Ángel Fernández shares, "These results aren’t the result of a one-off effort; rather, they stem from a constant and coordinated effort. We view football as an engine of social transformation that transcends the field of play. The Christmas 2024 campaign is an opportunity to return to a message that will be key in 2025: the fight against racism and hatred cannot be delayed and football, with its enormous power of influence, remains at the forefront of this fight. We will continue to work together with institutions and fans so that the new generations find in sport an inclusive, formative and fully respectful space."

In line with this, LALIGA will continue its efforts to secure a football free of all forms of hatred by promoting new projects and initiatives and by strengthening cooperation with the authorities.