Streetkick off to the Euros

<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com🏢smarttags" />England aren't going to Euro 2008 but Football Unites is. FURD is taking its Streetkick game to Innsbruck and Geneva to spread its anti-racism message. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com🏢office" />

Streetkick is an inflatable football pitch and 11 volunteers and workers from FURD will set the game up in prestigious locations in both host countries, Austria and Switzerland. It will then travel to Vienna for the quarter finals.

The Streetkick game has proved popular with fans at previous European Championships in Portugal and the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Fans from competing nations play together and in Geneva they will be based in a square next to Lake Geneva. In Innsbruck, they'll be based in front of the Royal Palace.

Several volunteers have been chosen to accompany Streetkick in recognition of their dedication to FURD.

One of those is 22-year-old Ahmed ‘Dutch’ Mohammed.

Somalia-born Ahmed came to the UK aged 13 after spending six years in Holland.

He got involved with FURD in 2002 and is now a volunteer on the project’s v programme.

"I was organising football in my local area and I got involved with FURD and signed up as a volunteer," explains Ahmed, who is studying a business and management degree but currently working for the Department of Health in Leeds during his placement year.

"I'd take part in FURD tournaments and then I set up a team called Porter United in Sheffield. FURD helped us with the finances and administration and now we're quite established.

"I love football and it's brilliant being able to combine it with an anti-racism message.

"I can remember watching the European Championships when I was a kid and I can't believe I'm going. It's a dream come true."

In England's absence ‘Dutch’ is planning to support Holland.

"I lived there for six years so I've got an affinity with Holland. I'm not sure whether we'll get to matches but we'll do our best to make sure that Streetkick demonstrates the unifying influence of football."