Players in Italy’s top flight league Serie A as well as match officials will turn out in red face-paint this weekend as a way of highlighting awareness of domestic violence in the country.
The likes of Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, Napoli captain Marek Hamsik and AC Milan stopper Gigi Donnarumma will all don the pitch wearing a red streak across their cheek as their annual campaign comes around once again.
Italian humanitarian organisation WeWorld Onlus teamed up with the players’ association and the Lega Serie A to bring the campaign to the light and so far, and this is the third time players have made the public stance.
The campaign gains plenty of support in Italy and images be accompanied with the hashtag #unrossoallaviolenza meaning ‘a red card to violence’.
To further raise awareness, girls wearing the campaign shirts will walk out onto the pitch before the game, while a banner will be present at each stadium and a campaign video will air on the big screens.
The hope is now that the campaign will continue to build momentum, and help bring such an important message to the public, and it could perhaps be publicity stunt used in other leagues in other countries, and maybe even other sports.
Serie A’s first game after the final international break of the year comes at 2pm on Saturday afternoon, when Roma travel to Udinese. League leaders Juventus play later in the day against SPAL before Inter Milan host Frosinone in the final game of the day.
A further six games will take place on the Sunday with Cagliari’s game at home to Torino being played on Monday night.