Holocaust Memorial Day: Football unites as fans urged to stand up against hatred and discrimination

Football managers and players have come together to urge fans to stand up against hatred and discrimination in a video launched to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.

Thousands of events worldwide will mark the event and football is playing its part by urging supporters not to look the other way when players or fellow fans face abuse and prejudice.

The video, produced by the National Holocaust Centre and Museum and The Jewish News, features a number of Premier League managers and players, including Frank Lampard, Jurgen Klopp, Harry Kane and Virgil van Dijk.

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Marc Cave, interim CEO of National Holocaust Centre and Museum, produced the film and told Sky Sports News of the impact he hopes the video will have.

Cave said: "It's all very well having anti-racist campaigns, as we have over the years, saying 'don't be racist, it's not very nice'.

"This is aimed at the silent majority. We've all seen incidents at games over the years where people say vile things. It's down to the rest of us to stand up to the bullies.

"We are trying to jab a metaphorical finger in the chest of all the good and normal fans to stand up to the few that aren't."

Chelsea recently became the first sports team in the world to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism.

The move is the latest step in their 'Say No to Antisemitism' campaign, launched in January 2018.

West Ham have followed Chelsea in adopting the IHRA's antisemitism definition and they will mark the Holocaust before their Premier League match with Liverpool on Wednesday.