FIFA has joined with the WHO in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino calling for teamwork to tackle the crisis.
Infantino on Monday joined WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland, to launch the “pass the message to kick out coronavirus” video campaign.
“We need teamwork to combat the coronavirus,” Infantino said. “FIFA has teamed up with WHO because health comes first.”
Photo: Reuters
“I call upon the football community worldwide to join us in supporting this campaign to pass the message even further,” he said. “Some of the greatest players to have played the beautiful game have put their names to the campaign and are united in their desire to pass the message to kick out COVID-19.”
Twenty-eight players — including Argentina forward Lionel Messi, Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and Brazil goalkeeper Alisson Becker — have backed the initiative aimed at reinforcing five WHO guidelines in stemming the spread of the coronavirus.
They feature in video clips issuing reminders about washing hands, sneezing etiquette, distancing, face-touching and what to do if you develop symptoms.
“This virus is a global problem and it has shown to all of us two things. One, is how vulnerable we are and the other is how global the world is. Exceptional situations require exception measures and global problems require global solutions,” Infantino said. “We have to be strong, and follow the guidance of WHO and our governments, and after we will have to rebuild our relations with maybe, and hopefully, more solidarity and understanding for each other. Football is ready to play its part for that.”
FIFA has pledged US$10 million to support the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
The New Taipei Kings claimed the inaugural Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL) championship on Sunday, defeating the Kaohsiung FamilyMart Aquas 108-89 in the final. Playing at home, the Kings pulled ahead with Jeremy Lin’s (林書豪) clutch three-pointers, securing their victory over the Aquas in the TPBL final. The Kings came out strong in the first quarter, dominating to build a 35-18 lead. By halftime, they had stretched their advantage to 61-38. In the third quarter, the Aquas narrowed the deficit to 12 points, but Lin stepped up, sinking several tough three- pointers to extend the lead. In the final quarter, the Kings pushed the
In an unlikely Ethiopian outpost of one the most French of pastimes, four men are leaning over their petanque balls, arguing over who is winning. Petanque, the bowling game also known as boules, is more readily associated with French village squares where locals launch metal balls at a jack while enjoying an afternoon drink, but for decades, it has also been a beloved pastime for members of a club near the iconic Meskel Square in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. It was founded in the early 20th century to cater to French railway workers, who built a line connecting Addis Ababa
Taiwanese women’s doubles star Hsieh Su-wei and Australian teenager Maya Joint on Tuesday eased into the Eastbourne Open quarter-finals in England as Hsieh prepares for the Wimbledon Championships next week. Four-time Wimbledon women’s doubles champion Hsieh and 19-year-old Joint fired two aces and converted five of eight break points to defeat Japan’s Shuko Aoyama and Poland’s Katarzyna Piter 6-3, 6-3 in 58 minutes on the grass court. Hsieh and Joint are today to face fourth seeds Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic and Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, who advanced on Monday with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Quinn Gleason of the US and
BEAT THE HEAT: A brutal heat wave in the US has made cooling breaks standard. Dortmund’s coach said the weather could shape the destiny of the tournament Chelsea on Tuesday beat Esperance of Tunisia 3-0 to set up a FIFA Club World Cup last-16 tie against SL Benfica, who earlier defeated Bayern Munich 1-0, as furnace-link heat and the threat of thunder and lightning wreak havoc at the tournament. Elsewhere, minnows Auckland City claimed a memorable draw against Boca Juniors, while Los Angeles bowed out of the tournament with a stalemate against Flamengo. In Charlotte, Andreas Schjelderup scored the only goal for Benfica in their Group C clash with Bayern in front of 33,287 fans, finishing first-time from a cutback by his fellow Norwegian Fredrik Aursnes in the 13th