The Black Stars will observe FIFA Fair Play Day ahead of the qualifier against Malawi

The Black Stars will observe the annual FIFA Fair Play Day on Saturday when they play Malawi in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Saturday.

Ghana stand-in captain for the game Asamoah Gyan will read a FIFA Fair Play message before the start of the match in Accra.

FIFA’s 16th annual FIFA Fair Play Days campaign kicked off at the semi-finals of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2012 this week.

The campaign will also take place during the official international match dates between 7 and 11 September 2012.

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter has appealed to footballers around the world to show fair play and respect on and off the pitch.

“Fair play should be an attitude that we all subscribe to,” said Blatter.

“As they are role models, I appeal to all players, officials and fans to play fair – on the pitch and off the pitch, during a game and in their everyday lives.”

FIFA recognises the crucial role of fair play and respect in sport and accepts the responsibility to apply them to all sporting activities.

Football, as a team sport, can help to demonstrate the importance of tolerance, discipline, respect, and fair play, not only in the game, but also in life.

Therefore, FIFA’s Fair Play campaign involves much more than simply promoting fair play on the pitch.

The annual FIFA Fair Play Days have featured prominently on the international match calendar over the past fifteen years.

Many associations around the world have taken advantage of FIFA’s annual support to promote fair play on and off the pitch, and activities have been held in dozens of countries around the world, from grassroots to top-flight football and in many community-based projects.