Sheffield FC, ‘The World’s First Football Club’, has been presented with a global award for its historical commitment to initiatives of international solidarity, fighting racism and all forms of discrimination.

Officially recognised by FIFA as the ‘World’s Oldest Football Club’, and part of Sheffield’s successful bid to be a host city in England’s 2018 World Cup bid, Sheffield FC continues to champion racial equality and harmony in all of its community activities.

Whilst in South Africa recently with the club’s ‘Boots for Africa’ charity, Richard Tims was invited to the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg to receive the ‘Nelson Mandela Sport and Solidarity Award’.

The awards ceremony was organized by 'Uisp (Italian Union of Sport for All) and the Benny Nato Centre, and focused on the continued fight around the world against racism and discrimination in all of its forms and the good works carried out by organizations and individuals to combat it.

Filippo Fossati, President dell'Uisp-Italian Union of Sport for All said, "Today the enemy is not apartheid, but the spread of intolerance and racism in the world. Even in sports there are ugly incidents of racism”. Giancarlo Abete, president FIGC-Italian Football Federation added, “The World Cup in South Africa is not only a great sporting occasion, but a way to vindicate the rights of all. There is only one race, the human one."

Richard Tims accepted the ‘Nelson Mandela Sport and Solidarity Award’ on behalf of Sheffield FC from Raffaella Chiodo, Vice president Benny Nato Centre, Filippo Fossati, President UISP and Mohammed Tikly, ANC and commented afterwards, “To win such a prestigious award is quite humbling. As the ‘World’s First Football Club’, through our ‘Boots for Africa’ programme, we hope to help the world of football leave a lasting legacy in Africa once the World Cup is over. Promoting ‘Community, Integrity and Respect’, the founding principles of our club, at all times, enable us to tackle the issues of racism and discrimination head on at a grass roots level.”