Sport and peace : another way to practice football - 7-A-side Football
an article by Emmanuelle Oulaldj

As a contribution to peace and non violence, the Fédération Sportive et Gymnique du Travail (www.fsgt.org) has created a 7-a-side football concept, developed with more than 1200 teams across France. The innovation lies not only in simply removing four players from the traditional football team, in its application of two basic principles:

- The game is more important than the result: this innovation makes for a livelier and more playful game. It is played with 7 players on a half pitch without the offside rule. There are kick-ins instead of throw-ins and tackling is forbidden.

- Self refereeing: based on the respect of others in accordance with the culture of civic sport, rejecting any form of violence or cheating. Responsibility of each player, relayed through the mediation of the captains and dialogue with the people in charge of teams, with arbitration by an external mediator if necessary.

7-a-side football serves as a basis for international development of exchanges to promote “non-elitist” and non violent sporting events.

More information can be found at http://www.fsgt.org/spip.php?rubrique6.

DISCUSSION

Question(s) related to this article:

Does sports competition contradict the culture of peace?


As a reader, you are invited to join in the discussion of this article based on any of the above question(s): just click on the question, read the previous comments and add a new reply. You may also enter a new discussion topic on this article - see bottom of this page.

Thematic forum(s) in which this article is being discussed:

SPORTS AND CULTURE OF PEACE

Latest reader comment:

Readers comments are invited on this question and report.

This report was posted on April 12, 2007. The moderator is CPNN Administrator.

If you wish to start a new discussion topic on this article, please copy the title of this article which is Sport and peace : another way to practice football - 7-A-side Football and its number which is 326 and enter this information along with your discussion question and a brief text on the new topic form.

A few stories are retained on the main listings if they are considered by readers to be a priority. If you have not already done so, please take the time to check a box below: should this article be considered as a priority?