THAILAND: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Barcelona players Lionel Messi and Jose Pinto meet a group of children with learning disabilities at a UNICEF coaching clinic in Bangkok

Record ID: 808835

  • Title: THAILAND: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Barcelona players Lionel Messi and Jose Pinto meet a group of children with learning disabilities at a UNICEF coaching clinic in Bangkok
  • Date: 6th August 2013
  • Summary: BANGKOK, THAILAND (AUGUST 6, 2013) (REUTERS) BARCELONA STRIKER LIONEL MESSI AND GOALKEEPER JOSE PINTO ENTERING VARIOUS OF MESSI AND PINTO SITTING AMONG CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES MEDIA TAKING PHOTOS CHILD SITTING WATCHING MESSI MESSI DR. ISIYE NDOMBI, UNICEF DEPUTY REGIONAL DIRECTOR AT PODIUM/ MESSI AND PINTO SITTING WITH CHIDREN (SOUNDBITE) (English) DR. ISIYE NDOMBI, UNICEF DEPUTY REGIONAL DIRECTOR, EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC REGIONAL OFFICE SAYING: "It (sports) can help to enhance their life-long physical skills and emotional development and also serves to improve their communication and social skills." CHILDREN SITTING MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LIONEL ANDRE MESSI, SPANISH FORWARD SAYING: "I have a chance to play with children with disability in football and other sports as well. There is no difference between children with or without disabilities, they're the same." MESSI / PINTO SITTING AMONG CHILDREN MEDIA TAKING PHOTOS MESSI / PINTO POSING FOR PICTURES WITH CHILDREN PHOTOGRAPHERS VARIOUS OF CHILDREN PLAYING FOOTBALL WITH MESSI AND PINTO VARIOUS OF MESSI AUTOGRAPHING SHIRTS AND SOCCER BALLS FOR CHILDREN
  • Embargoed: 21st August 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: General,Health,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA37W63T059QLRY3OYC8WCI6IRH
  • Story Text: Barcelona's Lionel Messi took time out from the club's preparations for a pre-season friendly match in Bangkok to meet some starstruck children with learning disabilities.
    Messi and Barca reserve goalkeeper Jose Pinto held a mini soccer clinic for the children under the auspices of UNICEF the day before the Spanish champions take on the Thai national side.
    UNICEF's deputy regional director Isiye Ndombi told the audience sport could help the children with physical and emotional development.
    "It also serves to improve their communication and social skills," added Ndombi.
    Messi told the youngsters he viewed children with and without leaning disabilities as being the same.
    He and Pinto spent time teaching the young players a few skills and then autographed soccer shirts and balls and posed for pictures.
    Barcelona are on a pre-season tour of the Far East which also takes in Malaysia. The squad arrived in Thailand on Monday following a two-day trip to the Middle East.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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