An agreement between the Victim Support Agency (VSA) and the Malta Football Association (MFA) will see the launch of the 'StoptheHate' campaign during the upcoming football season organised by the MFA, a government statement said.

This time, the campaign will also highlight the services offered by the VSA to raise awareness among those who may need help and to inform them of their rights.

Through funding from Community Malta, this collaboration will enable VSA professionals to raise awareness and deliver training on the subject, while the MFA will use its sports platform to spread this message even further to the public.

Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri spoke of the importance of this agreement, emphasising that sport is one of the most powerful tools to promote a message against hate.

He said that hate speech and hateful behaviour have no place in society, and the significance of this agreement lies not only in the visible 'StoptheHate' message, but also in the awareness and training that VSA will provide to individuals involved in football.

With 59 teams participating in MFA-organised competitions, hundreds of individuals will benefit from training and awareness, and thousands more will be exposed to this important message while participating in or watching football matches, the statement said.

"I believe there is no better vehicle than sport to deliver a message of unity and a stance against hatred. That is why it was a strategic decision to partner with the MFA, so that through the Victim Support Agency, we can raise awareness of available services, share our knowledge, and deliver a continuous message against hate, while also focusing on prevention," Camilleri said.

MFA officials said that there is no place for abuse in football, and the aim is to eliminate all forms of abuse from the game, be it physical, verbal, or online.

As part of this agreement, all team captains will wear armbands displaying the 'StoptheHate' message.

Contact details for the VSA will be visible at the football grounds, and a convention will also be organised, bringing together sports stakeholders and professionals to discuss the issue.

This will be the second time the MFA organises the 'StoptheHate' campaign.

MFA President Bjorn Vassallo thanked the Ministry for its support and said he was pleased to enter the second year of this campaign, with the main goal of sending a positive message through football to eliminate abuse, whether in sport directly or on social media, as much as possible.

VSA CEO Brian Farrugia said the awareness campaign targeting players, coaches, and other members of the technical team is a crucial step in fighting all forms of hate in sport, including racism, homophobia, xenophobia, and other discriminatory abuse.

Through this collaboration with the MFA, the VSA will be in a better position to help victims of hate speech get the support they need.

"We want to send a clear message: a crime is always a crime, whether it happens on or off the pitch, and every victim has the right to protection, dignified treatment, and justice. Sport should be a safe space, one that unites, not divides," Farrugia said.

MFA Vice-President Matthew Paris spoke of the importance of using social media more effectively and said football can be a platform to convey this message too.

"Social media is a very powerful tool, but if misused, it can have devastating consequences. Once again, football is being used to send a strong message against abuse," Paris said.