Player calls for Floyd justice should be applauded: Infantino Wednesday, June 3, 2020 page 12 ‘Our generation’s biggest challenge, we must remain patient & united’ Samuel Eto’o pass to keep playing. I was about 12 SC ambassador or 13 years old. From that moment on there was no looking back. I had the So far, 2020 has been a year like no blessing of my father and you could other in our lifetime. As COVID-19 not keep me off that football pitch. sweeps through continents, coun- Day or night. From there, it was one tries and communities in every or two years before I went to Europe, corner of the world, it is fair to say and my life changed forever. that our generation has never faced anything like this before. So, be- Overcoming adversity fore I begin this piece, I would like In the present, we must only to send my thoughts and prayers to think about getting through this everyone who has been affected by time together. As a child – like mil- this terrible virus, and express my lions of others – I learned how to gratitude to all of those working in overcome adversity; challenges key sectors to look after those who that felt like they would never end, are sick – especially the frontline tunnels that didn’t seem to have healthcare workers who are risk- a light at the end and, at times in ing their lives every day for the rest new countries, isolation. These of us. And a word of praise too for are all feelings and emotions I’m those in other jobs – supermarket sure many of us have been feeling and pharmacy workers, cleaners, recently, relating to this current aviation staff and many other sec- pandemic. But I think back to my tors; all working to keep life as rel- attitude then, and draw upon some atively normal as possible for the of those characteristics I developed rest of us during this troublesome while working hard to make my time. Sportsmen and sportswomen way in the world as a young man. are often described as heroes in the Some of these thought processes media, but what we do pales into are valuable now. To maintain and insignificance when you see what to carry on thinking – ‘this isn’t for- these people across the world have ever, soon things will change and done over the past few weeks and when they do, we must be ready months – they are the real heroes – and we will never take the small and my heart goes out to them all. things in life for granted again’. Indeed, it is at times like There are many things that will this that sport seems irrelevant. help us get through this. Small acts Leagues, tournaments and events of kindness, for neighbours, for have rightfully been postponed friends, for loved ones can mean across the world. While this is obvi- the world to people who may be ously a necessary measure, I feel it is feeling lonely, cut off, bored or in- important – while never wishing to SC & Generation Amazing ambassador Samuel Eto’o during a visit to the School for Refugee Children in Malaysia. active. Once things improve, sport trivialise matters – to say that when – in particular football – will play this is all over, we must also look other children. Life revolved around a huge role in uniting people again towards the joy that sport can bring meeting friends and kicking a ball and lifting spirits. to our global community. While this around. This terrible situation has It has also been heartening to virus has divided and isolated, sport forced everyone indoors. For many, So far, 2020 has been a year like no other in our see so many initiatives taking off can unite and connect. football is their outlet – from pover- online. I saw Generation Amazing’s My friend and fellow SC am- ty, from loneliness, from sadness – lifetime. As COVID-19 sweeps through continents, virtual training sessions that start- bassador Tim Cahill wrote recently and to take it away is heartbreaking. countries and communities in every corner of the ed recently. As I mentioned above, about the unifying power that ma- But it’s a sacrifice that must be made having football taken away as a kid jor events such as the World Cup in order to help the most vulnerable world, it is fair to say that our generation has never would have been unthinkable to and Olympics can have on repairing in our societies. faced anything like this before. I would like to send me, so it is admirable that Genera- hearts and minds. I could not agree my thoughts and prayers to everyone who has tion Amazing – which I am proud to with Tim more, and I wish to echo My childhood was football, call myself an ambassador for – has his words and sentiments here. football, football been affected by this terrible virus, and express my been so proactive in ensuring the During the pandemic, I have been gratitude to all of those working in key sectors to young people of Qatar and around Football was my outlet thinking about the wonderful memo- the world have an outlet to exercise, I think back to my own child- ries football brought me during my look after those who are sick – especially the play football and continue to feel hood in Africa. I was born into a childhood. I lived and breathed foot- frontline healthcare workers who are risking their connected to the World Cup. I look family of seven. I grew up in a ball – but my parents were very hard lives every day for the rest of us. forward to getting involved with the town not far from Yaounde, the on me. They did not accept the fact programme again – online and in political capital of Cameroon, and that I played football because to them SC ambassador Samuel Eto’o person – in the near future. until I was seven or eight years football was something children But for now, it really is one day old, I lived there. Then my parents played if they didn’t go to school. I at a time. So, I would just end this moved to Douala, which is the eco- was obviously going to school and by saying to everyone: keep safe, nomic capital, after my father took I was not a bad student, but I had a I didn’t know is that my Dad was did not know (until that moment) turned home, my father arrived a lit- stay at home and enjoy the time a job as an accountant for a large passion, which was football. with some friends in front of the that I seemed to have a natural tal- tle later and said: “You are so good, with your loved ones. And when all construction company. I vividly remember one day I field. Everything I did that day in ent for the game. I saw your match today. I’m going to this is over, let’s join together and Like billions of others, I grew up played a game in my city and I had that game gave me my pass to play I was the hero of my neighbour- talk to your mother so you can keep show the world how football can be playing football in the street with to hide in order to go play. What football freely. Because my parents hood after that game. When I re- playing.” That is how he gave me a its greatest unifying force. (SC.qa) unveils eight-race schedule in Europe from July 5

AFP will be brought forward to July 30 and September 6, complet- Paris 19 before a two-week break, Revised F1 calendar: ing the European part of the followed by consecutive races July 3-5: season. Each event will also The curtailed Formula One in Britain and events in Spain, (Spielberg) include the Formula 2 and For- season will start with two Italy and Belgium. All will like- July 10-12: Styrian Grand Prix mula 3 categories. races behind closed doors in ly be run without spectators (Spielberg) The blueprint for the re- on July 5 and July 12 while participants must adhere July 17-19: Hungarian Grand hashed season features further followed by six other grands to strict safety protocols. Prix (Budapest) races in Asia and the Americas prix in Europe, the organisers Regular health tests will be July 31-August 2: British in September, October and No- said on Tuesday. conducted with the number of Grand Prix (Silverstone) vember before finishing in the Formula One said it hoped team members and race staff at August 7-9: 70th Anniversary Gulf in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi to have between 15 and 18 the venue also reduced. Grand Prix (Silverstone) in December. races in total, with the season “While we currently expect August 14-16: Spanish Grand The 2020 season was to being completed in December. the season to commence with- Prix (Barcelona) have featured a record 22 rac- The F1 season was thrown out fans at our races we hope August 28-30: Belgian Grand es, now it is set to be the short- into chaos with the cancella- that over the coming months Prix (Spa-Francorchamps) est campaign since 2009 with tion of the traditional curtain- the situation will allow us to September 4-6: Italian Grand races in Australia, Monaco, raising welcome them back once it is Prix (Monza) France and the Netherlands in March only hours before safe to do,” said F1 chief execu- cancelled. MotoGP is also ex- practice was due to begin as the tive Chase Carey. confirmed we have some posi- pected to release an updated coronavirus pandemic spread “But we know the return tive momentum. As a race team schedule shortly. across the world. of Formula 1 will be a wel- Austria’s will host the first two races of the coronavirus-hit Formula One season in early July. (AFP) and racers, we are excited to get The first 11 races of the sea- Last week, the Austrian come boost to sports fans going again and put on a show son have been either postponed government sanctioned the around the world.” for our fans.” or cancelled due to the global season-opening double- F1 managing director a local airport, the races can “Red Bull have pulled out “It has been a huge effort by Silverstone will host two health crisis. header at the Spielberg Ross Brawn last month said be held in an isolated envi- all the stops to get the Aus- all involved and the two events races in Britain on August 2 and MotoGP organisers Dorna circuit after F1 organisers the Red Bull Ring circuit’s ronment, essential in the fight trian Grand Prix up and run- at the Red Bull Ring will be a 9, with the are awaiting Spanish govern- “presented a complete and remote location made it a against the pandemic that has ning, in order to support a blueprint for all other races to set for Barcelona on August 16. ment approval to start the professional plan” to combat “logical” choice to stage the killed less than 700 people in safe start to the Formula One follow. The Belgian and Italian truncated season with back-to- the COVID-19 outbreak. season’s first two races. Austria, and more than over season,” said team principal He added: “With the first Grands Prix will take place on back races at the Jerez circuit in The - ‘Blueprint to follow’ -With 375,000 worldwide. Christian Horner. eight races of the calendar now their original dates of August Spain on July 19 and 26.