DUBAI: Sami Al-Jaber, one of Saudi Arabia’s greatest footballers, has lent his voice to a new campaign from FIFA aimed at raising awareness of the coronavirus crisis and how to combat it.
The initiative, which sees FIFA and the World Health Organization (WHO) teaming up to fight the spread of the COVID-19 virus, includes current and former international superstars like Lionel Messi, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker, Gary Lineker and Carles Puyol and calls on people around the world to follow five key steps to ensure safety against the disease.
The ‘Pass the message to kick out coronavirus’ campaign promotes five key steps for people to follow to protect their health in line with WHO guidance, focused on hand washing, coughing etiquette, not touching your face, physical distance and staying home if feeling unwell.
“We need teamwork to combat the coronavirus,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “FIFA has teamed up with WHO because health comes first. I call upon the football community worldwide to join us in supporting this campaign to pass the message even further. 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 are involved in the video campaign, which is being published in 13 languages.
In the Arabic language video, Al Jaber, who represented Saudi Arabia at four World Cup from 1994 to 2006, is joined by former Egypt, Ajax, Roma and Tottenham forward Mido, as they talk football fans through the five steps.
“FIFA and its President Gianni Infantino have been actively involved in passing the message against this pandemic since the very beginning,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the virtual launch of the campaign at WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
“Be it through campaigns or funding, FIFA has stood up to the coronavirus, and I am delighted that world football is supporting WHO to kick out the coronavirus. I have no doubt with this type of support that together we will win.”
