UNITED KINGDOM: Singer Bono and football star Didier Drogba join Nike at the launch of new shoelaces they hope will help fight AIDS

Record ID: 402668

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Singer Bono and football star Didier Drogba join Nike at the launch of new shoelaces they hope will help fight AIDS
  • Date: 3rd December 2009
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 30, 2009) (REUTERS) (CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY) U2 FRONTMAN BONO POSING WITH INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALLERS TO LAUNCH CAMPAIGN FOOTBALLERS JOE COLE, LUCAS NEILL, MARCO MATERAZZI, DIDIER DROGBA, ANDREI ARSHAVIN AND CLINT DEMPSEY POSING WITH BONO, HOLDING TRAINERS WITH (RED) LACES CAMERAS / GROUP GETTING INTO POSITION TO POSE CLOSE O
  • Embargoed: 18th December 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Entertainment,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAAMJ5PSWUZU6GOQG5Q5MPVCD6J
  • Story Text: U2 frontman Bono teamed up with Chelsea striker Didier Drogba on Monday (November 30) to launch an initiative to fight HIV and AIDS.
    On the eve of World AIDS Day, sports manufacturer Nike announced a partnership with the "(Red)" brand and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria which is designed to coincide with the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
    Nike will sell special red laces under the banner "Lace Up. Save Lives", the proceeds of which will be split equally between the Global Fund and soccer-based community programmes aimed at educating people about AIDS.
    Drogba and other leading international footballers - including Joe Cole, Andrei Arshavin and Denilson, have promised to wear the red laces to promote the cause.
    Bono said it was inspiring to have such leading athletes be role models in the fight against AIDS.
    "These are winners. This is like the deadliest laid back man I've ever sat beside, by the way (gesturing to Drogba). You'll notice I get close and then I just pull away. But to have these athletes at the peak of their physical fitness thinking about people who are vulnerable and weak, is a very poetic though for me, it's very moving for me," he said.
    Ivory Coast international Drogba told a news conference in London that coming from Africa mean the Red campaign held special meaning to him.
    He said he wanted to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS on the continent.
    "We want to win, we want to keep winning and this is the biggest fight, I think more than winning games I think saving lives is very important, and that's why I'm very proud that all my friends are here to support the product and really I invite everybody to lave up and save lives," he said.
    Bono said that buying the (Red) laces -- which are on sale for 4 pounds (6.6 US dollars) a pair from December 1 -- could help save lives.
    "Two pills a day is all it takes. You're at death's door, then you're back at work in 40 days. It's mind-blowing, two pills a day. People don't know that, so when you find out it's actually quite a hopeful...it's like 'wow'. And how are we going to get the two pills to people who can't afford it? Buy (RED) products. And Nike are one of the great companies on the planet, and they're great storytellers, great communicators, and they're advertising's amazing, and they've let and encouraged one of their star players to really take this on and we're very grateful to them and to him," he said.
    Drogba scored twice as Premier League leaders Chelsea beat London rivals Arsenal 3-0 on Sunday (November 29) and put his goals down to the red laces he was wearing for the game.
    Bono said they had already gained attention.
    "When Didier wore the laces at yesterday's game, there were thousands of online enquiries. What was he doing with the red laces, where can we get the red laces? It's already started, before we announced today," he said.
    Drogba said he hoped the laces would help him carry his Ivory Coast team to the World Cup finals.
    "I hope the laces will be my luckiest laces, and it would be good if Ivory Coast can go to the final and win the competition, and then this will be a lot of visibility," he said.
    Nike said the laces were just the start of their involvement in the campaign, and they plan to launch more (Red) products.
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