Fair play and respect could be rewarded with trophy

Victory in Gothia Cup looms for the almost 1700 teams that will participate in this year’s tournament. But there are also other trophies worth fighting for. ”With Fair Play Trophy we want to acknowledge teams that convey and contribute to the Gothia Cup spirit, which is all about fair play and treating each other with respect”, says Niclas Freiholtz, competition manager.

Shortly Gothenburg and the other cities that host games in Gothia Cup will be filled with expectant kids and youth from all over the world. Almost 4500 games will be played before winners in the different age groups are decided. Happiness and disappointment will appear side by side and especially in those moments it’s important to treat each other respectfully. That is also something that is required in order to be a contestant for the Fair Play Trophy.
”The trophy will be awarded a number of teams that throughout the tournament have shown a particularly respectful behavior and acted in exemplary ways towards opponents, referees and other officials”, says Niclas Freiholtz.

Most certainly it is victory in the tournament itself that most of the Gothia Cups participants have their eyes set on, but the Fair Play Trophy is also something to strive for. And, just like in the tournament, it’s important to perform well from the start to be among the winning teams of Fair Play Trophy.
”We want the teams to plan for this already before the tournament so that they have in mind that Gothia Cup cherishes and values a good climate both on and around the pitches. Fair Play Trophy is a cup to bring back home and we hope this can be a big thing for more teams – that besides winning games and performing well in the tournament they also have the ambition to win this cup”, Niclas Freiholtz continues.

Fair Play Trophy is part of the project Celebrate the Game, whose intention is to create a better atmosphere for everyone, both on and around the pitches. It was initiated in 2016 by Gothia Cup and in the first year the number of red cards decreased by 50 per cent.
“We see the impact that Gothia Cup can have, and we want to be a role model when it comes to fair play. Our vision is that players and leaders bring the ‘Celebrate the Game’ message home, spreading it in their local football environment during practices and matches”, says Niclas Freiholtz.