IVORY COAST: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Charity match features President Alassane Ouattara and Prime Minister Guillaume Soro in a game that hopes to raise money for the country's upcoming African Cup of Nations campaign

Record ID: 182142

  • Title: IVORY COAST: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Charity match features President Alassane Ouattara and Prime Minister Guillaume Soro in a game that hopes to raise money for the country's upcoming African Cup of Nations campaign
  • Date: 6th January 2012
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (French) DIDIER DROGBA, IVORIAN INTERNATIONAL SAYING "As usual in the country, it's true that as the president is here the stadium is full, it's even a lot fuller than when the Elephants play (he jokes and runs away from the camera)." OFFICIALS SITTING ON SIDE OF STADIUM DROGBA KICKING A BALL FOR THE IVORIAN PRESIDENT ALASSANE OUATTARA DROGBA AND OUATTARA WALKING TOGETHER IN STADIUM PRIME MINISTER GUILLAUME SORO (IN ORANGE) HOLDING SMALL IVORIAN FLAG WITH FIFA OFFICIAL AT KICK-OFF VARIOUS OF MATCH SEQUENCE RESERVE PLAYERS ON THE SIDE OF THE FOOTBALL FIELD FIFA OFFICIALS (IN GREEN) ON FOOTBALL FIELD DURING MATCH SUPPORTERS DANCING IN TRIBUNES VARIOUS OF ENTERTAINER DURING HALF TIME SEEN THROUGH SECURITY CORDON VARIOUS OF MATCH SEQUENCE IN SECOND PART SORO SCORING THE SECOND GOAL SORO ON HIS KNEES CELEBRATING GOAL AND THEN DOING THE ELEPHANT DANCE WITH A TEAM COLLEAGUE SCOREBOARD SHOWING 2-0 (SOUNDBITE) (French) GUILLAUME SORO SAYING: "The public has been absolutely extraordinary, it's for them that I put together this spectacle (show), I really applied myself in order to find the necessary resources. I always told you that I am a great football player, now I proved it on the field, there, I scored two goals, and it's what I also wish for the Elephants of Ivory Coast at the CAN." IVORY COAST PRESIDENT ALASSANE OUATTARA WALKING TOWARDS SORO, EMBRACING HIM, SORO GIVING PUTTING ON HIS ARM THE CAPTAIN'S SLEEVE VARIOUS OF GOVERNMENT WINNING TEAM RUNNING WITH TROPHY PUBLIC CHEERING (SOUNDBITE) (French) GUILLAUME SORO SAYING: "It's an important and symbolic match, we wanted to show that all Ivorians, all men and women are united behind our national football team, the Elephants (ahead of CAN). VARIOUS POLICE CORDON AND SECURITY OUTSIDE STADIUM, CROWDS LEAVING STADIUM
  • Embargoed: 21st January 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cote d'Ivoire
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Topics: Quirky,Domestic Politics,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA5UZZ71LXRRQZLIW0EKQS53O2N
  • Story Text: Ivory Coast's politicians, including president Alassane Ouattara and prime minister Guillaume Soro - played in a soccer match on Thursday (January 5) to raise money for the country's African Cup of Nations Campaign.
    Ivory Coast take part in the 16-team tournament which begins on January 21 in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, and proceeds from the match will help pay for the team to go to the competition.
    Last year, the country was thrown into civil war after disputed presidential elections, with Ouattara eventually taking power.
    Security on the streets of Abidjan is still heavy, and the United Nations have a strong presence in the capital as well.
    In the match, watched by Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba, Soro scored twice to give the politicians a 2-0 win over members of the nation's football federation.
    "The public has been absolutely extraordinary, it's for them that I put together this spectacle (show), I really applied myself in order to find the necessary resources," said Soro.
    "I always told you that I am a great football player, now I proved it on the field, there, I scored two goals, and it's what I also wish for the Elephants of Ivory Coast at the Cup of African Nations."
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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