UEFA endorses anti-smoking campaign
Friday, May 17, 2002
Article summary
UEFA President Lennart Johansson is supporting the EU's campaign to prevent teenage smoking.
Article body
UEFA has joined forces with the European Union for a campaign to prevent smoking among teenagers.
Agreement to be signed
UEFA President Lennart Johansson and David Byrne, the EU's health and consumer protection commissioner, will sign the co-operation agreement at the Parken stadium, Copenhagen, ahead of Denmark's friendly against Cameroon tonight.
Series of advertisements
The Information Campaign for the Prevention of Smoking among Adolescents in the European Union campaign will involve a series of television advertisements. These will feature some of the continent's leading players including Thomas Helveg (Denmark), Paolo Maldini (Italy), Jens Jeremies (Germany), Rui Costa (Portugal) and Emile Mpenza (Belgium). Further players for future advertisements include UEFA Champions League winners Zinedine Zidane (France), Raúl González (Spain) and Luis Figo (Portugal).
Anti-smoking day
The official campaign launch on 31 May will coincide with the world anti-smoking day. The slogan of the EU campaign is "feel free to say no". Speaking about the project, Mr Byrne said: "We want young people to feel free to say 'no' to tobacco when they still have the choice." UEFA also intends to call on national football associations to back the EU initiative.
