Beckham v Murray Malaria No More at Wembley Stadium

Two of the UK’s top sporting heroes England international footballer, David Beckham, and Britain’s top tennis player, Andy Murray, took centre stage at Wembley Stadium, to mark the launch of Malaria No More UK – a not-for-profit organisation, committed to ending suffering and death caused by malaria, a preventable disease.



The event took place on the same day as their meeting with Prime Minister Gordon Brown at No. 10 Downing Street. Malaria threatens half of the world’s population and those most vulnerable are pregnant women and children. In Africa, malaria kills one child every 30 seconds; it kills more children under five than any other single disease.



Beckham and Murray are members of the Malaria No More UK Leadership Council and played against one another at the world famous Wembley Stadium for a-once-in-a-lifetime sporting moment1. They played football tennis, normal tennis, and ‘keepie uppies’ with footballs and tennis balls over the world’s longest tennis net spanning 68 metres, produced out of blue mosquito net fabric. They moved onto football and took turns to take free kicks into the first ever blue mosquito goal net. While Andy passed on a few tennis tips to David, David let Andy into a few secrets on how to take the perfect free kick. The games symbolised the urgent need for bed nets for those who die from malaria.



David Beckham said: “By creating awareness we can really make a difference. Days like today are so important. It’s a real honour and a privilege for both Andy and me to get behind Malaria No More. When I went over to Sierra Leone as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, I saw the devastation that many diseases cause, but malaria is the biggest single killer for children under five. The statistics are really frightening.”



Andy Murray says: “It’s great that we’re here to help with the campaign and make a difference. Malaria is preventable. The suffering and deaths it causes are so unnecessary especially because it is so cheap to make a difference – just £5 to protect a family for up to five years.”



Sarah Kline, Executive Director, Malaria No More UK says: “We are thrilled that David and Andy have so generously given up their time to raise awareness about malaria. They are two of the world’s biggest names in sport and it is fantastic that they want to help us end suffering and deaths from malaria.”



Together these two sporting heroes are campaigning to raise awareness about malaria, starting with the simple message that for just £5 a bed net can be bought, transported and delivered to a family in Africa, so protecting a mother and child or brother and sister against malaria for up to five years. The ultimate goal: to ensure all those at risk of malaria in Africa have access to a bed net by the end of 2010.



Find out more about the work Malara No More UK is doing by visiting their website www.malarianomore.org.uk