New balls for 'God's squad'

By Brady Haran BBC iCan reporter

Genesis pray before the big game - but what was the result? Match report from BBC Sport

Genesis FC are not a typical football team.

For example, they start all games by praying that their opponents will not suffer injuries.

As their name suggests, many of the Genesis players are Christians.

In their latest bid to display "Godly values", they have purchased 10 Fair Trade footballs - seven for training and three for matches.

The balls are manufactured in Pakistan by workers who are fairly treated and well paid.

Jez Cromie, who manages the Loughborough-based team, says: "These balls cost a little bit more, but that money goes into the stitchers' hands.

A lot of people think Christians should be playing in sandals Jez Cromie

"They get three or four times more than they would normally be paid.

"It's only a small thing, but I believe we can make a difference in the lives of these people in Pakistan."

The poor conditions of some ball stitchers was publicised during the 2002 World Cup.

It was claimed workers - including children as young as six - were being exploited in the Sialkot area of Pakistan, where 75% of the world's footballs are stitched.

The people who stitch Fair Trade balls are better paid and work in good conditions, with suitable lighting, ventilation and safe drinking water.

The path from a village in Pakistan to a pitch in England

In pictures

It takes 690 stitches to make a 32-panel football and a good stitcher typically produces three to five balls a day.

Fair Deal Trading, which sells the balls in the UK, claims the balls are no more expensive than other balls of similar quality.

It says about 20 clubs are using them - many of them are Christian teams playing in church leagues.

Genesis FC does not play in a Christian league - it plays in division one of the North Leicestershire League.

Mr Cromie says: "A lot of people think Christians can't play football and if they do they should be playing in sandals or something like that.

"But we want to be relevant to people, as Jesus was in his day."

Mr Cromie says his team is "hard but fair" and has received only one yellow card in the past three years.

He hopes his team will eventually become entirely Fair Trade - but says he has been unable to locate Fair Trade kits.