Jul 07, 2020
Returning to football: An SLO's experience
SD Europe Head of Training and Djurgårdens IF SLO Lena Gustafson-Wiberg speaks about returning to football in Sweden.
In the first of a three-part series of interviews, we spoke to our very own Head of SLO Training, Lena Gustafson-Wiberg, who also happens to be the supporter liaison officer for Djurgårdens IF and the Swedish national team, about her experience as the Allsvenskan commences without fans present. Lena has been working as an SLO for over eight years.
In Sweden, unlike most of…
Jun 30, 2020
Reforming Football For The Better: The Supporters’ Approach
SD Europe has been working with its members and stakeholders to examine and explore the specific areas demanding action and relief for reform in European football long before the Covid-19 pandemic emphasised the need by laying bare the deep-rooted vulnerabilities of the game…
The recent appeal to German football governing bodies by Unsere Kurve (see below) harmonises with SD Europe’s focus on football reforms and presented us with a springboard to introduce our work and that of our members to change…
Jun 26, 2020
SLO of the Month: Johan Reiler of Brøndby IF
Danish Superliga side Brøndby IF recently took a significant stride forwards in bringing more fans back into football stadiums.
On 21st June 2020, some 2,500 fans were allowed to attend Brøndby IF’s Danish Superliga derby match against FC Copenhagen. The football club was selected by the Danish government to trial new measures which permitted more spectators to safely attend, with Brøndby’s supporter liaison officer Johan Reiler playing a significant role in preparations for the game.
Credit: Robert Hendel
The Dainish government had originally…
Jun 03, 2020
Eight questions to Tony Ernst, editor of the upcoming UEFA SLO Handbook
As some of you might already have heard, SD Europe has teamed up with UEFA in taking further steps for the Supporter Liaison Officer role in European football.
Tony Ernst, whilst Chairman of SFSU, shakes hands with Lars-Christer Olsson, Chairman of SEF (The Swedish League) after signing an agreement to formalise dialogue between the two organisations (2012).
From 2020 and onward, the SLO training, led by SD Europe, is now part of the UEFA Academy. A big and bold move that’s bound…
May 28, 2020
SLO OF THE MONTH SPECIAL: Maël Garde Provansal of Ligue de Football Professionnel
For May, we bring a “special” edition of the SLO of the Month. Usually, we speak to a football club’s Supporter Liaison Officer. However, this month, we spoke to Maël Garde Provansal, the SLO Coordinator at the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), bringing a football league’s experience of fan liaison to the series for the first time.
Below offers a deep insight into the SLO Coordinator role at the LFP and the French SLO journey which has seen almost all 40…
May 22, 2020
Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem FC stands by its city against Covid-19
The #FansVsCovid19 initiative continues with another in focus look at what football fans across Europe and further are doing to support their communities through the pandemic.
You can view the Fans Vs Covid-19 map here.
In this feature, we look at Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem FC, and its efforts to help the people of Israel’s capital. Last month, we spoke to SD Europe Board Member and Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem FC Chair, Daphne Goldschmidt to find out what the club has been working on.
“football…
May 21, 2020
Carbon offsetting for January to March Complete
Inline with our carbon offsetting partnership with Atmosfair, SD Europe’s air travel data for January to March 2020 has been submitted to be offset.
Re-cap: what is carbon offsetting?
In carrying out SD Europe’s work, carbon emissions are created as an unavoidable consequence of air travelThrough the partnership, Atmosfair, a not for profit organisation supported by the German Federal Environment Agency, will gather SD Europe’s air travel data and calculate the total carbon emissions createdSD Europe will then use Atmosfair to contribute…
May 05, 2020
“Duty to the community”: The Spanish fan-owned football club helping local health services tackle Covid-19
Following the launch of the #FansVsCovid19 interactive map last week, we bring an in focus look at the efforts of one of Spain’s member-run football clubs…
We spoke to Ulises Illán, Secretary of CAP Ciudad de Murcia, about how the football club is helping its community through the pandemic.
CAP Ciudad de Murcia compete in Spain’s Terrace División (4th tier of football). The club was founded by its supporters in 2010 after the original Ciudad de Murcia was dissolved. Ulises explains “so…
May 01, 2020
SLO OF THE MONTH: Tomas Čarnogurský of FC Slovan Liberec
For April’s edition of Supporter Liaison Officer of the Month, with 11 years experience in the position, we spoke to a veteran of the role from one of Czechia’s most successful football clubs.
For newcomers, this series is celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the Supporter Liaison Officer role. You can learn more about the Supporter Liaison Officer role here.
Tomas has played an instrumental part in the development of SLOs in his country by working with the League Association to further…
Apr 27, 2020
SD Europe & FSE Launch ‘FANS vs COVID-19’
SD Europe and Football Supporters Europe (FSE) are pleased to announce the launch of ‘Fans vs Covid-19’.
The initiative is based around an online map which highlights the good work being done by fans, fans’ groups and member-run football clubs during the Coronavirus outbreak, from fundraising and solidarity banners to support for vulnerable groups and the health service. The map also acts as a platform for fans to share experiences, ideas, and good practice.
The map can be viewed at www.fansvscovid19.com and…
