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Cricketers support campaign against HIV/AIDS
South African and West Indies players will wear red ribbons to mark HIV/AIDS Awareness Day when they clash at The Oval on Saturday.
South African and West Indies players will wear red ribbons to mark HIV/AIDS Awareness Day when they clash at a Champions Trophy match at The Oval on Saturday.
By wearing red ribbons, players would be expressing solidarity with the millions of people affected worldwide and carry on the International Cricket Council's (ICC) partnership with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
Besides, players in the matches between England and Sri Lanka at Rose Bowl, Southampton on Friday and India and Pakistan at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Sunday would also wear red ribbons, the ICC said in a statement.
It said members of the crowd would be encouraged to wear red ribbons and local schoolchildren would unite to form a human red ribbon on the outfield.
Before the matches, several prominent players from teams participating in the Champions Trophy would visit the UK Coalition of People Living with HIV and AIDS (UKC) in London on Friday. They would listen to a presentation on the local and international impact of HIV/AIDS and meet some of those affected by the disease.
ICC president Ehsan Mani praised the players' decision to endorse the initiative.
"By wearing the red ribbons, the players are sending a positive message across the world and are helping to break down the walls of stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV/AIDS," said Mani.
