Soccer listing Didier Drogba is perchance the most modern global famous person to lend his toughen to the FIA’s #3500LIVES road safety marketing campaign. The Ivorian striker talks to AUTO about launching his message of Peek Out For Teens at this year’s Italian Big Prix, the importance of bettering safety in Africa and how non-public loss has bolstered his dedication to the trigger…
You’re some of the up-to-date ambassador to affix the #3500LIVES marketing campaign and your message of Peek Out For Teens used to be launched at this year’s Italian Big Prix. Why is the marketing campaign well-known to you?
It’s well-known to lift awareness about road safety, especially within the atmosphere of motor sport however also in true existence as successfully. As a Plot 1 fan, I note all of the races and each from time to time it’s easy to acquire carried away and feel love that you just would be in a position to moreover teach a little bit of of velocity too. However it surely’s well-known to acquire all of the components for safety around you. They’ve that in racing and we needs to be responsive to it after we are on the road. It’s a formidable marketing campaign and I’m actually proud to affix this group of superstars of sport and other areas. At the commence of my message in Monza, Nico Rosberg used to be there, which used to be enticing, alternatively it also entails stars such as Yohan Blake and celebrities from a huge diversity of sports actions. So that you just can raise all those legends collectively for such a gigantic trigger, it actually offers gigantic momentum to the hunt for road safety and gigantic visibility. I’ll create the entire lot I’m in a position to to support spread the message of safety on the enviornment’s roads
How did you advance to be thinking in regards to the #3500LIVES marketing campaign?
I met FIA President Jean Todt thru a mutual buddy and we spoke about how we would possibly perhaps moreover teach my represent to acquire an impact internationally, however extra particularly in Africa, spreading perfect messages about staunch road behaviour. I’m actually ecstatic to be share of it. These are the roughly messages that no longer simplest impact on society, however extra importantly they’ll relief save lives.
Your message is centered on young folk. That you just would possibly moreover fair acquire got legions of young fans around the enviornment. Become once that also a key aspect of your involvement?
I actually acquire 5 young folk so I know how well-known they are to me and I mediate it’s the an analogous for everyone on this world. It’s about safety for everyone.
A exiguous while within the past I misplaced a buddy, a actually perfect buddy, a young man who used to be correct 33 years feeble. He used to be killed in a bike accident on the road. He used to be no longer wearing a helmet and I mediate that would moreover acquire saved him. It used to be heartbreaking and I don’t settle on to demand that happen to anyone. I’ve been working on this mission for some months and that took place all the design thru the interval we started on this marketing campaign, so it used to be devastating. I’m in a position to’t create anything else else than tell him and what would possibly perhaps moreover acquire been done if he used to be wearing a helmet. That’s why I’m here.
‘I misplaced an ideal buddy in a bike accident all the design thru the interval we started on this marketing campaign. That’s why I am here’
The deployment of the new visual will be centered on Africa, where 44 per cent of all road trałic deaths on the continent involve cyclists and pedestrians. Your hold foundation, the FIA Foundation and the Prudence Foundation can even contribute to spread the marketing campaign’s message for safer roads all the design in which thru the build. How fundamental is it to toughen safety in Africa?
It’s massively well-known. We are speaking about road safety and initially of the roads settle on to be larger in Africa. We must talk about all of the substitute issues we must create for road safety, such as wearing helmets and the teach of seat belts, however we also settle on to toughen the infrastructure in Africa to give folk staunch roads to teach. It’s a gigantic share of the solution.
After 20 years on the very top ranges of soccer, you brought your taking half in occupation to a cease final year. That’s a difficult thing for a official sportsman to create. Live you miss taking half in?
I mediate I could miss it for the relaxation of my existence. However it surely’s the smash of a cycle, as a player, and since final year I’ve launched into a brand new existence in which I’m assembly some very keen folk, such as Jean Todt, and I’m working on a pair of initiatives for the future, so I’m composed busy.
You’ve spoken about your settle on to play a characteristic within the Ivorian Soccer Affiliation (FIF) to manufacture soccer in your house country. Is that an ambition you composed relief?
I ought to talk with a good deal of oldsters to esteem what the wants are. If I’m in a situation to plod for it, to acquire a exiguous bit impact and create some enchancment on what has been done no longer too long within the past, then why no longer? Let’s perceive.
At final, suppose us a exiguous bit bit about your passion for motor sport. Your first official soccer contract used to be with Le Mans, wasn’t it?
It used to be and I composed acquire the noise of the autos in my ears finally these years! I lived in Le Mans for four years and it’s a metropolis of sport – soccer, basketball and naturally motor racing with the Le Mans 24 Hours. It is some distance a huge occasion there and I grew up with it, so I’m a gigantic fan.
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