Premier League footballers including Hearts players Alan Maybury, Scott Severin and Patrick Kisnorbo, Hibs players Kevin Nicol and Alan Reid and Livingston Captain Stuart Lovell teamed up against racism by supporting Scotland United. They presented the Amnesty Cup, a week’s free membership to Westoods Health Club at Fettes and a guided tour of the Scottish Football Museum to the finalists.

Alan Reid, Hibernian Football Club Player backed the campaign and said: “I fully support Amnesty International’s, annual 5-a-side football fundraising tournament. It is really positive to see an event created to target a broad cross-section of Scottish society. Racism and ignorance can be a problem in certain aspects of sporting life and we must all try to ensure it's stamped out. It is vital that our Children's rights grow up with the ability to see beyond a person’s colour, religion or country of origin.”

The Best Amateur Five-a-Side Teams in Scotland

The Scottish Qualifications Authority’s ‘SQA’ played 8 games to become the 2004 Amnesty Cup Champions. They knocked out teams such as Apartment, Blackwell Publishing and Los Scolacticos. In a harrowing Final.SQA defeated Glasgow City Council’s ‘Unreal Finance’ 5-4 with only 10 seconds remaining.

Gordon Robertson, captain of SQA, the best five-a-side team in Scotland said, “This year's Scotland United tournament was excellent, as it has been for the last three years that we have played in it. Scotland United always creates a lot of interest amongst SQA staff. The organisation as a whole and staff as individuals believe Amnesty International to be a worthy cause.”
A total of 32 teams took part in Scotland United to not only raise valuable money for Amnesty International, but also to eliminate racism from professional football in Scotland.

Scott Kerr of the Scottish Prison Service who has entered a team in Scotland United for two years running revealed that the tournament is a great opportunity to build relationships amoung diverse groups. He stated, “Creating the right conditions for genuine positive change, in relation to racial equality, will take time and effort. Our involvement in external events, such as 'Scotland United' plays a crucial part in developing partnerships and links with the community.”

Tournament participant Mohammad Asif, highlighted the value of sports in society, “I am a Refugee from Afghanistan. My appointment as Student Adviser at Anniesland College demonstrates that the college is very committed to fighting racism in the community. We think that sports are the best way to fight racism and bring different people together. That is why we have decided to enter the Amnesty International tournament.”

A total of 32 teams took part in Scotland United to not only raise valuable money for Amnesty International, but also to eliminate racism from professional football in Scotland. Scott Kerr of the Scottish Prison Service who has entered a team in Scotland United for two years running revealed that the tournament is a great opportunity to build relationships amoung diverse groups. He stated, “Creating the right conditions for genuine positive change, in relation to racial equality, will take time and effort. Our involvement in external events, such as 'Scotland United' plays a crucial part in developing partnerships and links with the community.”

Scotland United 2005

If you have any questions about Scotland United or would like to participate in the tournament in the future, please phone 0131 466 6200 or email scotland@amnesty.org.uk