Wednesday 7th April, 2010 15 AIDS activists use WCup to spread their message MADRID (AP) - Spain forward Lionel Messi, who JOHANNESBURG (AP) - For will head into the World Cup plays for Barcelona. "No one health workers, South Africa's World in South Africa confident that looks as secure as them. They Cup isn't just about football. the team's recent success will have so much confidence "We know when people are party- spur a long-awaited break- right now and that's essential ing, sex happens," said Miriam through on the international for any team going into a Mhazo, whose independent Society for stage. major tournament." Family Health provides AIDS virus The European champions Confidence comes from testing and counseling across South travel to the tournament after having Fernando Torres, Africa. a successful run that includes David Villa, Andres Iniesta, Football-mad South Africans are a 2008 European Xavi Hernandez and goal- celebrating the debut of the world's Championship victory that keeper Iker Casillas in the most popular sports event on their snapped a 44-year drought in starting lineup. And being continent. AIDS experts like Mhazo major championships. drawn into one of the easier say it's also a time for serious action "There is a lot of pressure groups, with Switzerland, and discussion. - particularly on our players Chile and Honduras in Group South Africa, a nation of about 50 in terms of their club football H. million, has an estimated 5.7 million before the World Cup - but "South Africa 2010 is our people infected with HIV,more than there is a lot of optimism in big chance and we don't want any other country.After years of offi- Spain," Spain coach Vicente to waste it," cial denial and delay, the government del Bosque said. "It's a nice Torres said. last year embarked on an anti-AIDS moment for Spanish football. "Whoever we drive, vowing to halve new infections "Let's see if we can har- face in the and ensure that 80 percent of those ness our Euro momentum round of 16 who need them have access to AIDS and use it at the World Cup, will be fear- drugs by 2011. even though we know it gets By the time the monthlong World harder and harder to win Cup ends on July 11, fans will have because we'll be up had scores of chances to be tested at against more difficult mobile units parked in stadium car rivals." parks, help themselves from baskets of Spain is built free condoms, and hear their football around a heroes talk about safe sex. Barcelona Right to Care, one of the largest team that private providers of AIDS treatment, won a counseling and testing in South Africa, seized on an item that no South African football fan would be without: the plastic horns known as vuvuzelas. The group's vuvuzelas are bright red with a message in white to "make noise for HIV!" - a plea to break the silence and stigma surrounding AIDS. Diego Maradona The vuvuzela, whose most subtle note is a blare, is perfect for the task. Right to Care is selling its vuvuze- some, las for 20 rand (about $3), using the whether we proceeds to fund AIDS treatment for finish first or the poor. The group's mobile testing second." units will be at stadiums and other Torres will places fans gather. Argentina needs Maradona be looking to Football's stars also have been shed a forget- pulled in. David Beckham, after meet- table season at ing HIV-positive pregnant women and Liverpool where he new mothers at a Cape Town clinic in spent most of his his capacity as UNICEF goodwill magic from the bench time on the sidelines ambassador, said one of the coun- due to various injuries. selors told him more men need to sup- CAPE TOWN, South Africa interesting to see how he pre- coast at the Nelson Mandela Bay The 25-year-old striker port their partners to get treatment (AP) - While Diego Maradona pares his team. stadium in Port Elizabeth. should at least be well- and care. will be in the spotlight in his When Maradona took a risk Park Ji-sung's return to form rested from knee sur- "I hope that I can do my bit to help first World Cup as a coach, his by playing a qualifying game at with Manchester United after a gery when Spain plays its promote this message ... and that men three Group B rivals also have Bolivia by flying his team there long injury layoff has boosted Spain's Xavi Hernandez is opening World Cup match out there hear this and do their bit," plenty to prove in South Africa. two hours before kickoff, South Korea's hopes of making a against Switzerland on June the trend-setting Beckham said. Lars Lagerback was hired by Argentina lost 6-1. mark even though repeating its seen during a World Cup 16 in Durban. UNICEF is just one of the UN Nigeria less than four months Even though Maradona semifinal appearance on home group 5 qualifying soccer The manner in which agencies using the World Cup as a before the World Cup and wants dropped playmaker Juan Roman turf eight years ago may be too match against Turkey at the Spain goes into the tourna- platform. For the tournament, the to make an impact after failing Riquelme, he has quality players much to hope for. Santiago Bernabeu stadium in ment is also providing a U.N. will debut a song performed by to get Sweden to the champi- such as Lionel Messi, Carlos Greece qualified under veter- boost. The team has only stars across Africa that will touch on onship, South Korea coach Huh Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain, Juan an coach Rehhagel with Fanis Madrid, Saturday March 28, dropped one game since a 1-0 a range of goals, including fighting Jung-moo is out to show that a Sebastian Veron and Javier Gekas top-scoring in European 2009. (AP) friendly loss to Romania in AIDS, hunger and poverty.Kiyo homegrown coach can follow the Mascherano. World Cup qualifying with 10 November 2006 - a 2-0 set- Akasaka, the U.N. communications lead of Guus Hiddink, who guid- Under Maradona's leader- goals. Although the 71- record six club trophies back against the United chief, said he hoped to hear football ed the team to the semifinals in ship, however, Argentina is hard year-old German failed in one calendar year, States at last year's fans singing along before World Cup 2002, and Otto Rehhagel led to predict and that gives Nigeria, to get the Greeks to so expectations are Confederations Cup. matches. Greece to a surprise title at the South Korea and Greece plenty the last champi- probably higher "That defeat did us good "We'd like to have a song like 'We 2004 European Championship. of hope to finish in the top two onship in his than ever. by helping us realize that are the world,"' Akasaka said on a But of the four, it is and advance to the second round. homeland four "They have the road to the World Cup visit to South Africa. "The World Cup Maradona who will dominate the Like Maradona, Lagerback years ago, the some absolutely wasn't going to be easy, but is a great opportunity.The people of headlines, especially after strug- has a wealth of talented players Greeks go into fantastic players that we had to stay on the world will look at the people of gling to qualify Argentina for the in the Nigeria squad - John Obi their second and there's no track," Torres said. "And Africa, of South Africa, through the 32-team tournament. If the two- Mikel, Obafemi Martins, World Cup with doubt they play some what better way to do that global media. Whatever message is time champions fail to hit any Nwankwo Kanu, Joseph Yobo optimism and lovely football. To my than winning 10 games in a coming out of South Africa will be form, then this group could be and Ayegbeni Yakubu have hopes of a mind, Spain are the row in qualifying. We've now distributed so widely." wide open. played at the highest level in better per- best team in the world recovered any confidence Mhazo said South Africans are Maradona is one of the European leagues and have plen- formance today," said Argentina that we may have lost that "very celebrity conscious." game's greatest players, but he ty of experience. than in day against the United "You use celebrities to talk about has yet to convince the watching Lagerback took over from 1994. States." important issues, and people stop and world that he can make it as a Shaibu Amodu, who was fired Back then, With Villa also up front, listen," Mhazo said. coach. after the team finished third at they lost all Spain's attack is one of the Nike is working with Bono, who The diminutive Argentine the African Cup of Nations, and three group games most feared in Europe. Villa persuaded a range of major retailers will get an early chance to prove is out to show he still has the without scoring a is also closing in on Raul to sell T-shirts and shoes and donate himself at the World Cup when ability to blend them into a team. goal, including 2-0 Gonzalez's record total of 44 proceeds to AIDS and other global his team faces Nigeria on the While Argentina and Nigeria to Nigeria and 4-0 goals for the team.