10 April 2008Manchester United football star Cristiano Ronaldo presented the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) with a cheque for CHF 100,000 (around
£5,000) just before Wednesday's UEFA Champions League quarter-final second-leg match between Manchester United and AS Roma.The cheque was the first in a series of donations by the Union for
European Football Associations (UEFA) to the ICRC as part of the UEFA EURO 2008™ Score for the Red Cross campaign. Ronaldo is the humanitarian ambassador for the campaign, which is jointly
organised by the ICRC and UEFA.Score for the Red CrossThe campaign gives fans a chance to have fun while making a difference by purchasing virtual goals online in support of
their favourite side. The side that gets the most goals will win the title of "Most Humanitarian Team". A weekly draw will also allow people who purchase at least seven goals online to win
exciting prizes, including tickets to the UEFA EURO 2008™ games. UEFA will also donate €4,000 (around £3,200) for every goal scored – and €5,000 (around £4,000) for every
goal scored by Ronaldo – during the tournament in Austria and Switzerland. AfghanistanThe campaign and the money donated by fans and UEFA will benefit landmine victims in
Afghanistan by providing them with artificial limbs, physiotherapy and vocational training.Ronaldo said: "Landmine victims need determination and a lot of encouragement on the road to
recovery. I have a lot of respect for them and I want to support them. The great thing about this campaign is that everyone is a winner when it comes to giving and receiving. The website offers
football fans a chance to have fun, while making a difference. What could be better than that?"Score for the Red
CrossRead about the ICRC in Afghanistan
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
