Joint Statement on Ethics and Compliance in Japanese Football
Thank you very much for your continued support and cheers for FC Tokyo.
FC Tokyo supports the "Joint Statement on Ethics and Compliance in Japanese Soccer" issued jointly by the Japan Football Association (JFA), the Japan Professional Football League (J.League), and the Japan Women's Professional Football League (WE League), and the club will also issue a joint statement.
Recently, defamatory remarks targeting specific FC Tokyo players have been frequently seen and reported on social media and direct messages. The club recognizes this as an issue that cannot be overlooked. To be a force for improving society through sports, we will consider legal measures and respond more strictly to such incidents going forward.
To safely enjoy watching and supporting sports, we ask for the understanding and cooperation of everyone who supports us on a daily basis.
Joint Statement on Ethics and Compliance in Japanese Football
Over the past thirty-plus years, Japanese soccer has made remarkable progress. With the establishment of a top league, excellent players have emerged, improving the level of Japanese soccer and growing into a presence that attracts attention not only in Asia but also worldwide. The Japan national team and professional players have become role models for children, and soccer has become a source of courage and vitality for people and local communities.
However, on the other hand, there have also been cases of compliance violations and breaches of penal regulations that betray people's expectations. Additionally, despite promoting fair play and respect from an early stage, violence and abusive language have not yet been eradicated.
We will work urgently to correct this situation and prevent recurrence, while returning once again to the fundamentals of sports. Under the principles each of us upholds, we will initiate efforts to practice compliance with a strong sense of ethics. Compliance here means not only adhering to laws and regulations but also responding to society's expectations through actions based on social norms, ethics, and fairness.
As members of a Japanese sports organization, each officer and related person deeply understands laws, regulations, and rules, and performs their duties with a high sense of ethics and strict compliance awareness. We aim to eradicate all forms of harassment and human rights violations, including guidance or verbal abuse using violence, verbal abuse toward referees, slander, racial discrimination, sexual violence, and restrictions on access to sports. We also work to protect organizations and individuals from all risks threatening sports, such as antisocial forces, illegal gambling, match-fixing, corruption, doping, and illegal drugs, ensuring sports integrity. Furthermore, we strengthen risk management through open communication with stakeholders, leading to higher quality business activities.
We will thoroughly enforce compliance in any difficult situation and aim to create a strong and fair Japanese football community trusted by people, while enhancing the social and educational value of football.
