Continuing its support of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), UEFA is donating €100,000 to ICRC’s physical rehabilitation activities in Afghanistan. This year’s cheque will be presented by Real Madrid CF players Toni Kroos and Cristiano Ronaldo today (10 March 20h00 CET) before the start of the UEFA Champions League.
This contribution goes towards the Red Cross's physical rehabilitation programme providing artificial limbs, physiotherapy and vocational training for landmine victims and other people with disabilities in Afghanistan. About one third of patients assisted through the physical rehabilitation programme are children.
Alberto Cairo is head of the ICRC’s Orthopaedic Centre: “Firstly it’s physical rehabilitation and then we try to help with social reintegration, to put a person back into society. There are many ways to do that - sport is one of those activities.”
Patient and athlete Masoud Hamidid says the reason he plays football goes behind health. “It makes us stronger and, for me, the main reason was to be an example for other people with disabilities and to give them a feeling that they are not weak.”
Kroos says: “For footballers who are in the public eye and have role model status, it’s important for us to be active in that domain. We do very well, way too well and there are many people for who things are not going so well. So when you have the opportunity to help them, you should do it.”
Shotlist
Location: Various
Length: 2:30
Format: Mov H264 HD & SD
Camera: Various
Sound: Pashtu & German
ICRC ref: AV270N UEFA
Date: Various
Copyright: ICRC access all
Kabul, Afghanistan
0:00 GVs Kabul
0:06 ICRC orthopaedic centre
0:08 Children patients playing football
0:15 Adult patients practising with football
0:22 SOUNDBITE Alberto Cairo, Head of ICRC orthopaedic programme, Afghanistan (in English):
““Firstly it’s physical rehabilitation and then we try to help with social reintegration, to put a person back into society. There are many ways to do that - sport is one of those activities.”
0:36 GVs of patients playing football
0:53 SOUNDBITE Masoud Hamidi, football player (in Pashtu)
“It’s clear that sport is very good for everyone, and it makes us stronger. And, for me, the main reason was to be an example for other people with disabilities, and to give them a feeling that they are not weak.”
1:19 GVs of patients playing football
1:49 SOUNDBITE Real Madrid CF player Toni Kroos (in German):
“For footballers who are in the public eye and have role model status, it’s important for us to be active in that domain. We do very well, way too well and there are many people for who things are not going so well. So when you have the opportunity to help them, you should do it.”
2:10 Patients receiving treatment in physical rehabilitation centre