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17.12.2007 20:26
FIFA award Barça solidarity prize
Sandra Sarmiento / Vanessa Forns
FC Barcelona have received the FIFA Fair Play for their contributions to humanitarian work and development programmes as part of their agreement with Unicef.
President Joan Laporta collected the sward at the FIFA World Player 2007 gala held on Monday in Zurich. The FIFA Fair Play award recognises the work the club and its Foundation have done in conjunction with Unicef, a project that has made a global impact and contributed to Barça’s image of being “more than a club in the world”.
“Barça. A socially responsible club”
Speaking to Barça TV and the club website, the president
described the award as “major recognition”. Laporta believes that the fact that the
club has won the FIFA Fair Play award is directly linked to the way that “Barça is a socially
responsible club. It is the consecration of being ‘more than a club in the world’ and
as president I am very proud and grateful, both to FIFA and to all the members of the board of
directors, the general director, the employees, the professionals and the footballers, who have
made it possible for FC Barcelona to get this kind of recognition”.
Laporta went on to say that “Barça’s aim is to win titles, but that is not the only aim. It is one of the aims, but is associated to the concept that FC Barcelona is more than a club because it is sensitive to democratic rights, obligations and solidarity”.
The agreement with Unicef
The agreement with Unicef, signed on September 5, 2006 at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York, has already deployed its first programme in Swaziland, where a Barça delegation was recently able to inspect the first year’s results. The agreement with Unicef involves a donation of one and a half million euros each year to contribute to a series of projects that both parties have agreed to, as well as the appearance of the organisation’s logo on the club shirt.
Football for charity
FIFA has used this award to show how much it supports actions like these that do so much promote the good that football can do. In this sense, Joan Laporta said that “this worldwide recognition from FIFA fills us with pride and gives us the encouragement to continue working in this direction because we feel that Barça is more than a club and that football is a wonderful instrument for helping those who are most in need”.
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“I am convinced we have the team to beat Real Madrid”
Frank Rijkaard’s side will now face Real Madrid without the injured Messi. Joan Laporta knows
it is a shame that a player that “can tip the balance” will be absent but also that
Barça “can overcome this adversity”. He went on to say that “we have a team, a
squad that, when it makes an effort and shows its full talent, plays the best football in the
world”. Laporta is sure Frank Rijkaard “will have all the right players to win the game
against Real Madrid”, something “we want, we desire and we are working for. In short,
it is our immediate objective, and I am sure we have the team to do it”.
Joan Laporta se also spoke about Samuel Eto'o, who got on the score sheet twice against Valencia: “He’s found goals again. Eto'o imprints a fundamental mark on the team. He is a very important player for the team, and he has his full faculties back. The player takes the credit for that, and also the Medical Services, the coaching staff and the physios. His recovery has been extraordinary and he is now stronger than ever. He is has made many sacrifices, and I want to show him my gratitude for the way he has dealt with things so professionally”.
Joan Laporta se also spoke about Samuel Eto'o, who got on the score sheet twice against Valencia: “He’s found goals again. Eto'o imprints a fundamental mark on the team. He is a very important player for the team, and he has his full faculties back. The player takes the credit for that, and also the Medical Services, the coaching staff and the physios. His recovery has been extraordinary and he is now stronger than ever. He is has made many sacrifices, and I want to show him my gratitude for the way he has dealt with things so professionally”.
