The Football Association’s International Newsletter Issue Thirteen Communiqué Communiqué Issue Thirteen England goalkeeper David James • HIV / AIDS awareness in Malawi England offers a word of encouragement to • Next Steps Conference, Zambia stars a young Malawian footballer on a • FA and FA Premier League join forces in Qatar recent goodwill visit to the country • Stadium safety and security in Peru shine in with England colleagues • Breaking records at WOMEN’S EURO 2005 Malawi Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville. • Q&A with Sir Trevor Brooking CAF Football backs campaign to raise HIV awareness England and “This visit to Malawi - one of our partners in Manchester United the UEFA-CAF Meridian Project - was an defender Rio Ferdinand important exercise in propagating positive supported the view that messages concerning health and education, football has a vital role showing how football can be used as a to play, calling for more power for good.” players to give their time to the cause: “If more football stars were involved in FA Executive Director David Davies delivering HIV/AIDS awareness messages, addresses the crowd at the Civo Stadium I believe it could make a difference,” he said. in Lilongwe The FA’s Head of International Relations, "If, as a result of the players being here, a Jane Bateman, is keen to combine football single life is saved, and if on top of that they and development on The FA’s international give pleasure to people who are leading their agenda. “Whilst our purpose is to develop lives in very difficult circumstances, then this the game of football, we must show a social The players visit the Lighthouse project, a voluntary counselling and HIV treatment visit will have been worthwhile,” said FA conscience, especially in a country as centre in Lilongwe Executive Director David Davies. economically poor as Malawi. Raising awareness of HIV through football-related games England stars Rio Ferdinand, Gary During the two-day goodwill mission, the spoke to people who are living with the Neville and David James led an FA players linked up with local organisations at disease and were fascinated by their delegation in Malawi to promote stadia in the capital Lilongwe and in Blantyre courage. The need to deliver better HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention. to show how football can be used to messages to combat the stigma of HIV - The visit was backed by the British disseminate messages on HIV/AIDS, which is particularly to the youth - is paramount.” Government’s Department for endemic in Malawi. Life expectancy in the International Development and other country has dropped to just 39 as some partners including the Elton John AIDS 86,000 people die annually from AIDS- Foundation, McDonald’s, Carlsberg, related illnesses; 14.4% of 15-49 year-olds Nationwide, the PFA and the are now infected with HIV. BBC World Service Trust. The players also talked to young Malawians at a local school and to HIV sufferers at the Lighthouse Clinic in Lilongwe, in addition to visiting a hospital where over 50% of patients suffer from HIV-related illnesses. Gary Neville facilitates discussions on HIV & “I learnt more AIDS with school children at the Zingwangwa Secondary School in Blantyre about HIV and AIDS in the two days we spent in There is no doubt that the visit - to a country Malawi than which is so passionate about English football The players sport T-shirts donated by the during the whole - will have an ongoing impact, with the Football Association of Malawi who are also of my life,” said players’ images used on poster campaigns supporting the campaign to fight HIV Gary Neville. “We and their voices on radio jingles. Rio Ferdinand prepares to take the youngsters through HIV awareness games on the pitch at the Civo Stadium CAF AFC The FA and FA Premier League Youth coaching in Malawi join forces in Qatar © AFC2001 Two of the country’s top Youth A delegation led by FA Premier League Coaching Instructors, Steve Rutter and Chairman Dave Richards, and Brighton Hove Albion FC’s Dave David Davies, The FA’s Executive Puckett, travelled to Blantyre, Malawi, to Director, delivered an ‘Elite Football train youth coaches as part of the Seminar’ in Doha, Qatar, in May. UEFA-CAF Meridian Project. Attendees included His Highness Sheikh FA coach Steve Rutter was impressed by the Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, representatives youth coaches and said: "The attitude of the of the Qatar FA, the Qatar National Olympic candidates on our course was one of the Committee and Qatar’s top sixteen clubs, as best I have ever worked with and the well as AFC President, Mohamed bin delegates’ competence improved Hammam and General Secretary, significantly over the course of the week." Dato’ Peter Velappan. The course was organised in parallel with two The seminar was initiated by the AFC, with other workshops. Representatives from the the objective of assisting the Qatar FA in BBC World Service Trust provided media understanding the principles involved in “This proved to be a very strong partnership training to local radio stations whilst the NGO, the professional administration and model,” explained Jane Bateman, The FA’s Kicking AIDS Out, funded by UK Sport, commercial management of a national Head of International Relations. “Not only did England coach trained PE teachers on how to build awareness association, a national league and it develop coaching skills, but it showed how about HIV/AIDS through sports instruction. professional clubs, and how the three sport - and football in particular - as well as speaks in Egypt different entities work together. David Davies introduces the joint presentation by The FA and the FA Premier League The three separate courses culminated in a the media can be used to promote HIV/AIDS mini-football festival for over 60 children, awareness messages. These are incredibly “As well as giving us a fascinating insight with all parties able to demonstrate the skills important in a country which is being into football in Qatar, the seminar presented they had learned. ravaged by the disease.” us with a useful opportunity to discuss how Tsunami donation the structure of Qatari football could be The FA responded to calls for help Next Steps Conference, Zambia adapted to reach its full potential,” said from FIFA and the AFC by making a David Davies. “We are going through a donation of £100,000 from The FA The FA was represented at the June The British restructuring process ourselves, which National Sports Centre Trust in 2005 Next Steps conference in Government’s made it all the more interesting to share favour of the FIFA/AFC Tsunami Livingstone, Zambia, where delegates Secretary of State Mohamed bin Hammam meets Maurice Watkins & Dave Richards ideas on best practice.” Solidarity Fund. The FA also sent a shared experiences and ideas on the for Culture, Media container of football kit and balls to subject of sport as a development tool. and Sport, England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson the Indonesian province of Aceh Tessa Jowell, addressed an audience of over 200 3rd Asian Football Conference where 200,000 people lost their lives delivered a keynote representatives of Egyptian as entire neighbourhoods were speech at the FA Exercise Scientist, Dr Gurcharan Singh, football earlier this year in a special devastated by the 30-metre waves. Sam Erith, was a guest Chairman of the AFC’s Tessa Jowell opening ceremony, seminar focusing on a technical acknowledging that, analysis of Euro 2004. He was speaker at the 3rd Asian Medical Committee, said: “We have always had a wonderful “Sport is a practical way to positively benefit joined on stage by Manchester Football Conference of “This conference was an relationship with The FA,” said AFC the lives of people across the developing United’s respected Fitness Coach, Science & Football important tool in President, Mohamed bin Hammam. “As world.” She referred to The FA’s recent visit Professor Valter di Salvo, who Medicine in Oman. He our quest to one of the major national associations, to Malawi with the England players: spoke on issues concerning player addressed the 300-strong provide Sam Erith they have been excellent in helping “Meeting their heroes encouraged young fitness and analysis, focusing on audience on the better health more needy associations in Asia and Malawians to speak openly in the presence methods to maintain optimum importance of sports science within care for players, increase the pool Youth Moderators are trained in they have showed again that their heart of the players and gave more impact to what fitness during long seasons and modern football, notably the role it can of sports medical professionals and broadcasting and filming at the BBC World is with Asia.” Service Trust studio they had heard about HIV and AIDS.” throughout tournaments. play in maximising performance and development of football science and minimising the incidence of injury. medicine in Asia.” CONMEBOL FA News WOMEN’S EURO 2005 Safety first in Peru hailed as great success In a year marking the 20th England hosted the WOMEN’S EURO anniversaries of the tragic stadium fire 2005 Championship in June, with the at Bradford City and the Heysel event being heralded the biggest and disaster, an FA-led delegation travelled best yet in its 21-year history. to Peru to deliver a two-day seminar on Germany defended their title, beating stadium safety and security. Norway 3-1 in the final, to win the tournament for the fourth consecutive The FA’s Head of Stadium Safety, Chris time in front of a 21,000-strong crowd. Whalley, the Football Licensing Authority Chief Executive, John de Quidt and the Head New Championship records were set for of the UK National Football Information Point attendances and television viewing figures as of the National Criminal Intelligence Service, the competition captured the public’s Detective Sergeant Tony Conniford, were imagination.