May 26 – FIFA has extended its Memorandum of Understanding with the World Health Organisation (WHO) for a further four years and with a commitment to promote better health through football.
“WHO’s partnership with FIFA has already succeeded to share evidence-based messages to help people of all ages to lead healthier and safer lives through the power of sport. WHO looks forward to continuing this journey,” said WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (pictured left).
The new agreement was signed on the fringes of the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. The MoU has been in place since 4 October 2019.
The two organisations have collaborated on various digital campaigns since 2020, addressing a wide range of health issue including mental health (#ReachOut), domestic violence (#SafeHome), appreciation of the work of health professionals during covid (#HumanitysHeroes), equitable access to vaccinations and vaccines (#ACTogether) and various covid campaigns.
They have also jointly championed the need to #BeActive to promote regular physical activity.
“Dr Tedros and I felt that in a world that is more and more divided, maybe if FIFA and the WHO join forces, we can achieve something, we can have even just a little impact to make our lives a little bit better. Since 2019, we have worked worked together with our colleagues at the World Health Organisation to try to use the impact of football, that helps drive health for one and all,” said Infantino.
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