World Footy News

The following overview from the AFL gives some of the highlights of this coming weekend’s 2016 Toyota AFL Multicultural Round. Using and enhancing many of the initiatives from last year’s highly successful round, the AFL is planning to showcase the multicultural heritage and future of the game like never before. The following article from the www.afl.com.au website lists some of the more exciting aspects of the round.

 

THE AFL's annual Multicultural Round celebrates the game's diversity and promotes inclusiveness, with the theme of 'Many Cultures, One Game'. Here's a look at what the AFL and some of the clubs are doing this weekend.

 

* Matches are being broadcast in one of seven languages:

 

Mandarin: Port Adelaide v Hawthorn and West Coast v North Melbourne

Greek: Geelong v Sydney Swans

Hindi: GWS v Collingwood and Essendon v St Kilda

Arabic: Gold Coast v Brisbane Lions

Vietnamese: Western Bulldogs v Richmond

Spanish: Melbourne v Fremantle

Italian: Carlton v Adelaide

 

Audio available via the AFL App and on Match Centre on www.afl.com.au

* Field umpires have the word for UMPIRE printed on the back of their shirts in one of the seven languages. Goal umpire flags will be orange, the colour symbolising harmony. 

 * The Sherrin match balls feature the word WELCOME printed on them in Greek, Mandarin, Hindi, Arabic, Spanish and Italian.

* The 50-metre arcs have the word FIFTY painted on them in one of the seven languages.

* Port Adelaide and Greater Western Sydney are wearing multicultural-themed guernseys, while Gold Coast, West Coast and the Western Bulldogs will wear themed warm-up gear. The Power's jumper features the Australian and Chinese flags on the front and players' names in Mandarin on the back. The Giants' jumper has hands interlinked on the front representing solidarity between all people, standing together and living in unity and harmony. The guernsey also features the United Nations Refugee Agency logo.

Clubs are running culturally diverse pre-game activities and on-field entertainment, including food festivals, dancing and fireworks displays, movie screenings and giveaways. The Giants are hosting the AFL Multicultural Festival, presented by Australia Post, at Cathy Freeman Park, outside Spotless Stadium, from 11am on Saturday.

 

Check club websites for information on what initiatives each AFL club is running. For local state, country and metropolitan clubs or leagues, contact the clubs directly or visit their websites.

 

 Image: AFL Website (www.afl.com.au)