More than 250 organisations in support of the campaign

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German football stars announce Football World Cup 2006 should be smokefree

Geneva. World-class footballers Gerald Asamoah and Ebbe Sand want to kick tobacco out of the 2006 World Cup.

The two teammates, who play for Schalke 04 – popularly known in Germany as the “Royal Blues” – are getting behind the Smokefree Football World Cup 2006 campaign.

With just over a month to go to the kick-off in munich on June 9, it is not too late for the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the national organising committee to declare the Cup smokefree, they say.

“We are world class – the world class is smokefree,” says Gerald Asamoah. “That’s why we need smokefree stadiums at the World Cup.”

Ebbe Sand agrees. “We should have smokefree stadiums because our guests expect that.”

The smokefree campaign was launched because health organizations realized that although the last World Cup was free from tobacco smoke and the next World Cup will be too, smoking will be allowed in this year’s competition in stadiums across Germany.

Michael Bamberg, the president of the German Cancer Society, welcomes the stand taken by Asamoah and Sand. “They demonstrate a high degree of social responsibility and prove themselves role models for young people in the best sense,” he says.

“We hope other footballers and celebrities will follow their example and speak up for a smokefree World Cup”.

The Smokefree Football World Cup 2006 campaign is the brainchild of a Global Smokefree partnership led by the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), a Geneva-based federation of national cancer societies, cancer research institutes and other bodies.

“Only 100% smokefree policies can protect lives and promote health,” says Isabel Mortara, UICC’s executive director.

“As the world prepares for the largest sporting event in the world, let’s make sure that fans around the globe will witness a celebration of sport, life and health. Tobacco has no place in this picture.”

Contacts:

For more information, contact Sinéad Jones (info@globalsmokefreepartnership.org)

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