Why we should talk about HIV during the World Cup
(New Vision)
As football fans from around the world arrived in South Africa to cheer their favourite teams at the World Cup, we must not lose sight of one unwelcome guest -- HIV. Why should we talk about HIV during the World Cup?
Two reasons. First, a celebrated sporting event such as the World Cup can encourage the spread of HIV through the combination of alcohol and unsafe sex. Second, almost 80 babies are born with HIV during the 90 minutes it takes to play a football match. This translates into 430,000 babies infected each year. Because we have the means to stop this tragedy, we must act today.
Football stars and UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassadors Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo and Michael Ballack of Germany have joined forces with UNAIDS to launch a global campaign to prevent babies from becoming infe"ted with HIV. The campaign aims to mobilise the football community to "give AIDS the red card" and eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission between now and 2014, when the next World Cup is played in Brazil. To date, football captains from a range of countries -- Australia, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, France, Ghana, Greece, Nigeria, Paraguay, Serbia, South Africa and Uruguay -- have signed an appeal committing them to use the power and outreach of football to create an HIV-free generation.
| First Name | Michel |
| Last Name | Sidibe |