Mbo Mpenza, Amadou Onana and Justine Vanhaevermaet presenting awards 

Jury chairman Mob Mpenza gets help from Red Flame Justine Vanhaevermaet and Red Devil Amadou Onana, among others, to honour clubs that fight against discrimination and racism and who promote inclusion. Together with the Pro League and the RBFA, he calls on players, trainers, referees, and fans to nominate projects. From those entries, the jury will choose the final winners, who will be one of the very first Come Together awards recipients. Projects from both professional and amateur clubs will be considered. 

“Football – even more than other sports – has the power to bring people together. With the Come Together action plan, we want to promote that togetherness and draw attention to the fight against discrimination and racism in the football world. In this struggle, every initiative is valuable. With the Come Together awards, we therefore honour a number of initiatives that are making a difference to many and which we hope will inspire other clubs.” 

– Samia Ahrouch, inclusion manager RBFA

Come Together awards 

With the Come Together awards – named after the Come Together action plan – the RBFA, Voetbal Vlaanderen, the Association des Clubs Francophones de Football, and the Pro League want to highlight clubs that tackle discrimination and racism in their club and promote inclusion, and reward a number of initiators. Anyone involved in a football club can – before Saturday September 30 – nominate an initiative via this form. Both individual and group initiatives are eligible for an award. 

For example, it can be about the integration of underprivileged children in a club, the organisation of inclusive tournaments, the creation of a G-squad and increasing the awareness of club members against racism. The jury will choose the projects from the entries that they think make the biggest difference and give them with an award. 

Come Together jury 

Jury Chairman and former Red Devil Mbo Mpenza plays an important role in the fight against discrimination and racism in football. He has been working with the RBFA and UEFA for years on projects that promote inclusion. ​ 

Justine Vanhaevermaet has been overcoming prejudices as a woman for years, managing to build a great career in football. She is an example for many young girls who dream of becoming football stars. 

The fight against discrimination and racism is close to Amadou Onana's heart. He knows that things are sometimes tough in the football world, and that racism and discrimination still keep too many young people away from the football fields. 

Anouk Bonte and Gregory Franck are members of the RBFA's Diversity Board, consisting of experts who are regularly consulted on diversity and inclusion. Anouk works as an expert on gender and inclusion at the Belgian government. She believes in the power of football to strengthen social ties between people from different communities. Gregory works as an agent for the Brussels government and specialises in labour integration, among other things. He hopes the Come Together awards will highlight the work of many volunteers in clubs. 

“Too many people still think that diversity in football clubs brings difficult challenges, but above all it enriches the lives of our children. In football clubs they learn things that you don't learn at school, norms and values that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Clubs that are committed to greater diversity and inclusion therefore deserve our support and encouragement.” 

– Mbo Mpenza, jury chairman

Come Together action plan 

The Come Together action plan was launched in 2021 to strengthen the fight against discrimination and racism in the football world and promote inclusion. The establishment of a reporting centre for acts of discrimination and racism, the appointment of an inclusion manager, the establishment of a Diversity Board and a National Chamber for Discrimination and Racism are some initiatives from the action plan. Organising training on diversity and tackling discrimination in football clubs should also contribute to this. The ambition is to keep discrimination, racism, homophobia and other forms of inequality off football pitches and out of stadiums. 

Read the action plan here.