In the matches of the Fair Play Football Roadshow contest we use a special set of rules, the so-called “football3” rules which was developed by streetfootballworld and by partners participating in the network of streetfootballworld.
The values that are fundamental to football3 such as fair play, equality, teamwork and respect are as important in the game as the knowledge of football. This method was applied during the Yugoslavian war, too, to create peace between groups who were in conflict with each other.
Football3 was named after the 3 “half”-times of the match: in the first half (or third) the two teams agree on the rules, the match takes place in the second half and in the third “half” the two teams analyse the game together and agree on the number of fair play points for each team.
One of the most important elements of real fair play contests is that, just like in site football (informal matches played by private people on public pitches), there are no referees on the pitch. They are replaced by mediators who are dedicated to Fair Play football and know football3 rules very well. If everything goes well they do not interfere in the course of the game. Occurring fouls are indicated by a raised hand, they are settled among players themselves who also agree on the possible sanctions together.
Before a contest commences, fair play mediators deliver a training for 2 members delegated from each team. In this training, rules and the course of the contest are clarified. The team members participating in this training must convey the spirit and attitude of fair play to their mates. Just before the match starts, the mediators have a discussion with all the players of the teams in which they repeatedly confirm fixed rules and commonly agree on the optional rules. (The scope of fixed and optional rules can both extend or narrow according to the demands and phantasy of participants and organisers.) After the matches, a short evaluative discussion follows: the fair-play mediators ask the players about their experiences and they also examine whether rules were observed and kept. It is always important to mention fouls lest the impression be created in the participants that in spite of fair play the commonly agreed rules can freely be violated. When possible we use video-based analysis: we record the events taking place on the pitch with professional technology and after the matches, during the discussions, we watch the fair play movements, saves, goals and attacks of the match together with the players. Besides helping to raise awareness of fair play moments, video analysis helps us to analyse and look back on controversial situations, which also facilitates the formation of good relations between the given groups.
Each participant of the contest wins medals and the first three win cups. It is a principle of our contest serial taking place since 2011 that we not only award the three best teams but we also give a Fair Play award to the team which was the fairest with its opponents and mates. This award also means entitlement to take part in the year-closing gala.