Posted: June 28, 2005

Athletics For A Better World – Stars Unite To Help Those In Need

IAAF Launches New Partnership With FAO, WFP AND UNICEF

28 June 2005:

Monte Carlo - The IAAF – with the support of three United Nations’ Humanitarian Associations – the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF – is delighted to launch “Athletics for a Better World – The IAAF Stars’ Donation Fund”.

The aim of this Charity Project is to encourage our top athletes to increase awareness of and raise funds for humanitarian initiatives.

The IAAF is inviting star athletes (past and present) to donate a significant item from their most memorable competitions to the IAAF. We will then auction these items on our internet site www.iaaf.org and divide the profits equally amongst our three Humanitarian partners: the FAO, WFP and UNICEF. Over the next months we will gather as many athletics-related items as possible, and some of them will be exhibited during the IAAF 2005 World Championships in Helsinki on August 6–14.

The IAAF is delighted with the enthusiastic support of our patrons – representing different continental areas – who have volunteered with great enthusiasm, and who will be working hard to help others less fortunate than themselves. These athletes are: Beatrice Faumuina (NZL), Carolina Klüft (SWE), Koji Murofushi (JPN), Debbie Ferguson (BAH) and Paul Tergat (KEN).

A special section of the IAAF website for “Athletics for a Better World – the IAAF Stars’ Donation Fund”, linked from the home page www.iaaf.org will bring you the latest news of the donors and the items that will be available for auction as the project develops. We aim to have a tremendous range of items for auction - and you will be able to see our stock grow in the months leading up to the auction itself by checking in regularly to the web site.

President Lamine Diack says: “I am delighted with this project, which shows that our best athletes are not just interested in improving their own performances, but that they are also caring human beings, who have willingly stepped forward to help those in need. I am very proud of our athletes, because by giving something back, they show that they can be heroes outside the sporting arena as well. I would also like to thank the FAO, WFP and UNICEF for giving us their full support.”

Patrons

Africa

Paul Tergat (KEN)
o 10,000 metres Olympic medallist, World record holder, five-time World Cross Country champion, two-time World Half Marathon champion
o Active Ambassador Against Hunger for the World Food Programme of the United Nations (WFP) and former WFP beneficiary of school feeding.
“This is a long overdue initiative. I am excited that our International body (IAAF) has come up with this noble idea. I strongly support the vision: participating in humanitarian related issues, especially now when the world is faced with a lot of challenges. Congratulations for the great and noble idea and thank you for making me one of the pioneers.”

Americas

Debbie Ferguson (BAH)
o Olympic 4x100 metres relay champion, Olympic 200 metres bronze medallist, World relay champion, World individual medallist, 3-time Commonwealth champion
o Active goodwill ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Programme of the United Nations (FAO).
"Dreams do come true but it starts with you. Make the sacrifice, endure the pain. At the end you will be thankful for the gain"

Asia

Koji Murofushi (JPN)
o Olympic champion, World medallist and Asian record holder in the Hammer Throw.
"I would like to support the entire Athletics for a Better World project as an awesome initiative of the IAAF which should be praised and admired by all of us athletes and fans of athletics."

Europe

Carolina Klüft
o Olympic champion, World champion and European champion in the Heptathlon
o Extremely active in private and personal charity projects .
“We all have to take our responsibilities both as human beings and as athletes.”

Oceania

Beatrice Faumuina (NZL)
o World champion, World championships finalist, multiple national record holder in the Discus.
“It is important to give back to others, to help those who don’t have the same facilities or the same assistance as we do.”

Charities

"We are very grateful and honoured that the IAAF have chosen WFP as one of the three UN agencies who will benefit from Athletics for a Better World.
This is a further demonstration of the extraordinary commitment of athletes to using their international status to highlight the cause of people less fortunate than themselves: the world's hungry, poor and vulnerable."
James Morris, Executive Director, United Nations World Food Programme

"We call upon all people with a keen sense of justice to play a part, with FAO, in helping the least privileged of the world to finally break free of the vicious circle of chronic hunger and undernourishment."
David Harcharik, Officer-in-Charge - General Affairs and Information Department, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation

"The athletes who are so generously joining this ambitious project are showing children what a real star is - someone who has not only made great personal achievements, but who takes advantage of success and fame to help make the world a better place. We are grateful for their support."
UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman