Bruce Buck: Chelsea football club fighting antisemitism
In November 2017, Buck said, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich called a meeting of Chelsea directors to discuss the reemergence of anti-Semitism across Europe and to initiate solutions that the club could implement.
By ALAN ROSENBAUMBruce Buck, Chairman of Chelsea Football Club, speaks at the 8th annual Jerusalem Post Conference, New York
At the Jerusalem Post Annual Conference in New York, Chelsea Football Club chairman Bruce Buck explained the origins and effectiveness of Chelsea’s “Say No to Anti-Semitism” campaign, which raises awareness of antisemitism and educates players, staff, fans and the community at large about the issue.In a wide-ranging interview with Jerusalem Report editor Steve Linde, Buck said that the power of sport in Europe, and particularly of football, is enormous. “When football clubs talk,” said Buck, “their fans listen.”In November 2017, Buck said, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich called a meeting of Chelsea directors to discuss the reemergence of antisemitism across Europe and to initiate solutions that the club could implement. In January 2018, Chelsea initiated its ‘Say No to Anti-Semitism’ campaign, which Buck says, will continue indefinitely.Chelsea has articulated its vision in a practical way, by sending delegations of young players and staff to visit Auschwitz, and has hosted a number of Holocaust survivors who met with players and fans, and spoke about their experiences.Recently, Chelsea visited Boston to play a charity game against the New England Revolution, to raise awareness of antisemitism and raise funds for projects promoting equality and tolerance. Buck said that the event raised $4 million for the project’s causes. He added that a significant sum will be donated to the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh, where eleven congregants were murdered last October.Buck says that, “an important part of solving antisemitism is education.” The goal, he says, “is to make a little dent in this enormous issue.”