Football star Didier Drogba signs with WHO, as new Goodwill Ambassador  

Mr. Drogba, from Côte d’Ivoire, will promote WHO’s top tips on how physical activity can pb to a healthier and happier life, and also highlight the worth of sports, peculiarly for youth. 

The Ivorian striker is best known internationally for his long and record-setting career at Chelsea Football Club, and for having been named African Footballer of the Year successful 2006, and 2009. He is the all-time apical scorer and erstwhile skipper of the Ivory Coast nationalist team.  

He besides has a agelong way record off the pitch, of participating successful assorted campaigns to promote healthy lifestyles, anti-malaria campaigns, and HIV prevention and control. 

‘Champion connected and disconnected the pitch’ 

During the announcement of his caller role, successful Geneva, Mr. Drogba said helium was honoured to squad up with WHO and “support its enactment to assistance radical scope the highest level of wellness possible, particularly young radical successful each countries.” 

“I person benefited first-hand from the powerfulness of sports to pb a steadfast beingness and I americium committed to moving with WHO to stock specified gains worldwide”, helium said.  

WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, hailed Mr. Drogba as “a proven champion and crippled changer some connected and disconnected the pitch.” 

For Tedros, the athlete’s support tin assistance curb the increasing load of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) done the promotion of steadfast lifestyles.  

“We are pleased to person him playing connected our team, and helping communities worldwide scope and people goals done sports for their carnal and intelligence wellness and well-being”, Tedros said.  

According to the WHO chief, Mr. Drogba will besides enactment the mobilization of the planetary assemblage to “promote sports arsenic an indispensable means for improving the physical, intelligence wellness and societal well-being of each people, including successful helping COVID-19 recovery efforts.” 

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the value of carnal activity. According to WHO, up to 5 cardinal deaths a twelvemonth could beryllium averted if the planetary colonisation was much active.   

Lack of exercise 

Current planetary estimates amusement 4 successful 5 adolescents, and 1 successful 4 adults, bash not bash capable carnal activity. 

Globally this is estimated to outgo $54 cardinal successful nonstop healthcare costs, and different US$14 cardinal to mislaid productivity. 

Increased carnal inactivity also hurts health systems, the environment, economical development, assemblage well-being, and prime of life. 

Regular carnal enactment helps little humor unit and trim the hazard of hypertension, coronary bosom disease, stroke, diabetes, and assorted types of cancer, including bosom crab and colon cancer. 

World Cup health 

Mr. Drogba’s announcement arsenic a WHO Goodwill Ambassador was made during a ceremonial to motorboat the Healthy 2022 World Cup – Creating Legacy for Sport and Health. 

The inaugural is a partnership betwixt Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health and its Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, WHO and satellite football’s governing body, FIFA, to beforehand sports during next year’s World Cup successful Qatar. 

Mr. Drogba joins different WHO ambassadors including champion Brazilian footballer Alisson Becker and his wife, the doctor Natalia Loewe; Michael Bloomberg, laminitis of Bloomberg Philanthropies and three-term Mayor of New York; Cynthia Germanotta, President of the Born This Way Foundation and parent of creator Lady Gaga; and erstwhile UK Prime Minister and current UN Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown.