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The world football federation FIFA has rejected criticism that it has done too little to use the World Cup in South Africa to raise awareness about HIV and Aids prevention.
A statement from South African HIV and Aids organizations had accused FIFA of ignoring repeated requests to distribute prevention information at the tournament, but Federico Addiechi, FIFA’s head of corporate social responsibility, claimed there had been no refusal to help local health organizations.
Addiechi said: ‘There are initiatives like the distribution of information and condoms at fan parks, fan festivals and stadiums. Government-brand condoms are going to be distributed at the fan festivals and at all the ten stadiums.
‘The fan fests have an “infotainment” programme, which is broadcast before and after the matches. In that programme there are already two video messages related to HIV prevention, and there’s even a commercial for condoms.’
He added, however, that it is not FIFA’s job to campaign on the issue, or to take responsibility ‘for something that the South African government has already taken responsibility for’.
South Africa has the world’s highest number of HIV-infected people. In some provinces 20 per cent of the population is HIV-positive.
A statement from South African HIV and Aids organizations had accused FIFA of ignoring repeated requests to distribute prevention information at the tournament, but Federico Addiechi, FIFA’s head of corporate social responsibility, claimed there had been no refusal to help local health organizations.
Addiechi said: ‘There are initiatives like the distribution of information and condoms at fan parks, fan festivals and stadiums. Government-brand condoms are going to be distributed at the fan festivals and at all the ten stadiums.
‘The fan fests have an “infotainment” programme, which is broadcast before and after the matches. In that programme there are already two video messages related to HIV prevention, and there’s even a commercial for condoms.’
He added, however, that it is not FIFA’s job to campaign on the issue, or to take responsibility ‘for something that the South African government has already taken responsibility for’.
South Africa has the world’s highest number of HIV-infected people. In some provinces 20 per cent of the population is HIV-positive.
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