Drogba, Akide named to FIFA anti-racism players’ panel

Ivorian great Didier Drogba and former Super Falcons striker Mercy Akide have been appointed to a new FIFA initiative designed to combat racism and discrimination in football, Sport360NG reports.

The world governing body announced on Friday that 16 retired internationals will make up the Players’ Voice panel, which will advise and raise awareness on issues of abuse and inequality within the game.

Akide, 50, who featured at three Women’s World Cups for Nigeria, joins a distinguished group that includes Liberia’s president and 1995 Ballon d’Or winner George Weah. Other African representatives are Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo and Senegal’s Khalilou Fadiga.

The panel also brings together stars from every FIFA confederation, among them Iván Córdoba (Colombia), Formiga (Brazil), Jessica Houara (France), Maia Jackman (New Zealand), Sun Jihai (China), Blaise Matuidi (France), Aya Miyama (Japan), Lotta Schelin (Sweden), Briana Scurry (USA), Mikaël Silvestre (France) and Juan Pablo Sorín (Argentina).

According to FIFA, the group will play a central role in promoting education, sharing their personal experiences, and suggesting concrete measures to tackle discrimination on and off the pitch.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino stressed that the former players’ insights would be crucial in ensuring meaningful progress:

“These 16 panel members will support education at all levels of the game and push for lasting change. Racism and discrimination are not simply wrong – they are crimes. Every incident must be punished, whether it happens in stadiums or online.”

The Players’ Voice initiative falls under the fifth pillar of FIFA’s global strategy against racism, which was unanimously approved at last year’s 74th FIFA Congress.

Despite years of campaigns, racism continues to affect the sport, with high-profile cases still occurring in some of football’s leading competitions.