News Archive

China lifts travel ban against people with HIV - 28.04.10

Photography Max Braun

China has lifted a two-decade-old ban on people with HIV and AIDS from entering the country, just as it is about to welcome the world to the Shanghai Expo. 

The decision announced by China's Cabinet, the State Council, follows similar moves by the United States and South Korea to eliminate travel restrictions for people with the HIV virus. Both lifted their bans on visitors with HIV in January. 

Dr. Wu Zunyou, director of the National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention said the move would help reduce the stigma that people in China who have HIV or AIDS face, still a serious problem despite highly publicized yearly visits to AIDS patients by Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao. As in many other countries, the stigma prevents many people reluctant from getting tested. 

China's ban had been launched based on "limited knowledge" of HIV at the time and proved inconvenient for the country when hosting international events, the State Council said, according to a statement posted on its website. The Shanghai Expo begins Saturday and runs for six months. 

The ban was implemented "at a time when HIV/AIDS was relatively new, and our understanding about HIV/AIDS has since accumulated," Wu said in a phone interview. 

Despite greater openness, the government remains sensitive about the disease, regularly cracking down on activists and patients who seek more support and rights. 

The State Council said the government passed amendments on April 19, revising the Border Quarantine Law as well as China's Law on Control of the Entry and Exit of Aliens. The changes were effective immediately. 

The move also includes scrapping entry restrictions for people with other sexually transmitted diseases and leprosy. The State Council said the government realized such restrictions had limited effect on preventing and controlling the spread of diseases in the country. 

Entry restrictions, however, remain on people with "serious" mental illnesses, infectious tuberculosis and "infectious diseases likely to cause significant harm to public health," the State Council said. The Cabinet did not immediately respond to faxed questions. 

The HIV virus that causes AIDS gained a foothold in China largely due to unsanitary blood plasma-buying schemes and tainted transfusions in hospitals. Health authorities say sex has overtaken drug abuse as the main way HIV is transmitted. 

AIDS was the top killer among infectious diseases in China for the first time in 2008, a fact that may reflect improved reporting of HIV/AIDS statistics in recent years. 

Government statistics show that by the end of October 2009, the number of Chinese confirmed to be living with HIV-AIDS was 319,877, up from 264,302 in 2008 and 135,630 in 2005. But Health Minister Chen Zhu has said the actual level of infections is probably near 740,000. 

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed China's decision and urged other countries that still bar people with HIV to change their laws as soon as possible. "Punitive policies and practices only hamper the global AIDS response," he said in a statement. 

Prominent AIDS activist Edwin Cameron, a judge on South Africa's Constitutional Court, also welcomed the removal of the travel ban, according to a statement from a group representing United Nations staffers living with HIV. Cameron, who has HIV, traveled to China twice in the last year and a half and met with officials about the ban. 

Cameron said the visa restrictions were "illogical" and "nearly led to the cancellation of my last trip to China because of a misunderstanding between government departments." 

"I am relieved this will never happen again to anyone living with HIV," he said in the statement. 

Last month, China denied a visa to an HIV-positive Australian writer, Robert Dessaix, who had hoped to attend a writers' tour in the country, prompting a group of nearly 100 prominent Australian authors to sign a petition condemning Beijing and demanding that Chinese authorities apologize to Dessaix. Authors who signed included Nobel laureate J.M. Coetzee and Booker Prize winner Thomas Keneally.

(Originally reported by GILLIAN WONG - Associated Press Writer BEIJING)

South Africa: Football Festival gives hope to youth - 08.04.10

Photography – TiinaMaria

As part of preparations for the football World Cup in South Africa, officials recently inaugurated a refurbished sports stadium in one of Johannesburg’s less wealthy neighbourhoods. During the World Cup, the 3,000-seat facility will host an alternative football tournament for disadvantaged young people from around the world. 

Football officials and community organizers recently launched the Football for Hope Festival on March 25 in Alexandra, an impoverished township in eastern Johannesburg torn by violence and crime.

Speaking at the official opening launch, managing director of Streetfootballworld Jurgun Griesbeck said that the aim of the event was to encourage young people to take responsibility for their own lives. 
 
"The participants were chosen to show the world that they are young leaders so that when they are talking about themselves and where they are going, you yourself become inspired," he said. 
 
The players will also participate in activities which promote the exchange of ideas and life experiences, including talks on issues like HIV/AIDS and football coaching workshops.

Also speaking at the launch, the chief executive of the local organizing committee for the FIFA 2010 World Cup, Danny Jordaan said that the upcoming world cup was not only about the famous football stars that are coming to South Africa for the event but also about the youngsters participating in the Football for Hope Festival. 
 
"It is a World Cup of hope, a World Cup of change, a World Cup of opportunity, a World Cup that focuses on the young people and their ambitions and their dreams," Jordaan said.

The two-week-long tournament, to be held in July toward the end of the World Cup, will bring together more than 200 underprivileged young people from 40 nations.

Football’s governing body, FIFA, is sponsoring the event. Head of corporate responsibility Federico Addiechi stated this is a way to give back to disadvantaged people who often are among the sport’s most ardent supporters.

“Football is with no doubt an integral part of our life. And therefore it is FIFA’s responsibility and the responsibility of everyone involved in the game of football to use its popularity, to use its power, as a tool for social change,” Addiechi said.

Football for Hope was founded five years ago. It works with 82 organizations in 50 countries that use football to promote HIV/AIDS awareness, conflict resolution, children’s rights, anti-discrimination and environmental issues.”

Conflict resolution is a major theme here. The team coming from Israel includes both Israeli and Palestinian kids. Players from the war-torn nations of the former Yugoslavia make up another team.

The Cambodian team includes land mine victims, and those from Britain and the United States include homeless youths.

The tournament will have mixed teams of girls and boys and each of the 12-minute games will be played without official referees so that all disagreements will be resolved through dialogue, a method which organizers hope will enhance mutual understanding and personal development in the young players. 

FIFA plans to launch 20 such centres across Africa this year. It wants them to be a legacy of the excitement and good will created by the continent’s first World Cup.

 (Source: IPS/GIN via COMTEX and www.7finder.com)

Ryan Giggs: What to do next?  - 30.03.10

Photography – Adib Roy

In a rare interview, the quiet man of football talked to Scotland’s Big Issue about his future and being a living legend. 

“I really have no idea what I want to do next,” he says genuinely. “I couldn’t be further away from knowing, if I’m honest. I’m doing my coaching badges right now, so I’ll have that option, but I don’t know if I see myself in management or not. I’ve got a few interests and I like doing charity work, but like I say – I have no real clue what I’ll do.”

 About building on his role with UNICEF he adds. “I’ve been with them as an ambassador since 2006,” he says. 

“The club (Manchester United) has had a partnership there for about 10 years or so and I just think it’s a very good thing for the players to get involved with. It doesn’t suit everyone, but it’s good for me. I have kids now and it helps you appreciate things more when you go to places and see how some people are living. I went to Sierra Leon recently, which was pretty nice because it’s where my granddad was from. We went to Freetown for three days and you just see a completely new way of life. 

“We wanted to spread awareness about HIV and aids, and if my profile as a footballer helps do that then it is definitely worth it.”

(Originally reported in The Big Issue in Scotland. Read the full interview here.)

Football stars support Comic Relief campaign - 31.03.10 

Comic Relief has produced a series of 10 short films with English and African footballers. The public education films are to broadcast across Africa and use humour to communicate serious messages that focus on malaria, HIV/AIDS and education urging people to use mosquito nets, know their HIV status and wear a condom, and send their children to school.

International football stars including Aaron Mokoena of Portsmouth and South Africa, Emmanuel Eboue of Arsenal and the Ivory Coast, Salif Diao, Abdoulaye Faye and Amdy Faye, all of Stoke City and Senegal, Sebastien Bassong of Cameroon and Spurs, Mamady Sidibe of Stoke City and Mali, and Kolo Toure of Manchester City and the Ivory Coast got involved in the campaign. They were joined by Rio Ferdinand of Manchester United and England and Peter Crouch of Spurs and England.

The films will be broadcast during the live showing of premiership games on “free-to-view” television stations in over 30 countries throughout sub-Saharan Africa and will reach a weekly audience of 300 million viewers. The broadcast time has been fully supported by the English Premier League and donated by Optima Sports Marketing which distributes live premiership games throughout Africa and the campaign will run until the end of the current season in May. The films have been created by Mother, the London-based advertising agency.

Commenting on the campaign, Kevin Cahill, Comic Relief's chief executive said: “We are delighted that so many footballing heroes have lent their support to this important campaign. Their participation will raise awareness of three really important issues to the people of Africa. By spreading serious messages in a light hearted way, we hope that people will be encouraged to take action and help both themselves and their families.” 

Commenting on the campaign, Aaron Mokoena of Portsmouth and South Africa said: “I was born in Africa and I know how important football is across the continent so it's fantastic that so many premiership footballers have got involved in making these short films. These messages will be seen by millions of people and hopefully they will help to change lives.”

(Source: www.bizcommunity.com)

Durex’s 2009 Great British Sex Survey: The results are in!

In 2009, Durex gave Health Care Professionals the opportunity to put pertinent questions to the public about their sexual practices in the form of the Great British Sex Survey. With over 11,000 respondents across the nation, the results reveal fascinating insights into people's underlying attitudes towards STIs and safer sex. Durex asked ten questions of the British public and over 11,000 responded:

1. How many sexual partners have you had?
2. How often, on average, do you have sex?
3. How old were you when you lost your virginity?
4. Have you tested positive for any of the following in the past 12 months...?
5. Are you concerned/feel you are at risk from any of the following...?
6. Do you use condoms?
7. Where did you learn how to use condoms?
8. If you wanted to know more about sex, where would you get the information?
9. When having sex for the first time with a new partner, when should the subject of condoms be raised?
10. If you've had sex in the last 3 years without a condom, why didn't you use one?

(Source: DurexHCP.co.uk Read what people said here)

Russian football boss visits Nike’s coaching clinic - 05.04.10

Photography - iccsports

Legendary coach Guus Hiddink was in Johannesburg recently to host a workshop with 30 young, aspiring South African footballers as part of Nike’s Inside the Elite training programme.

In a discussion based on the fundamentals of football, Hiddink also spoke of the impact of HIV and AIDS in Africa, and that as an ambassador for the Nike (RED) ‘Lace Up. Save Lives.’ campaign, it is important for youths to be tested for HIV and AIDS and know their status.

The much-anticipated, intense on-field training session at Orlando Stadium hosted by Hiddink proved to be a game-changing experience for the young footballers.

“This was a fantastic opportunity to visit South Africa with Nike and engage with these young, skilled footballers. They have the potential to become great footballers, to write their future, and it is imperative that they further develop their skills,” said Hiddink in a statement.

More safe sex please...we are Olympic athletes - 27.02.10

Photography – BigA888

Winter Games athletes seem to have ditched the theory of no sex before they compete for medals.

In response to this change in attitude, an additional 8500 condoms made up an “emergency airlift” to the Olympic Villages in Vancouver and Whistler for the athletes.

The Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research provided the original shipment of 100,000 – that’s around 14 condoms per visiting athlete (compared to around 8 condoms per athlete in Sydney in 2000, the same number in Athens in 2004 and around 6 in Beijing 2008) however, in 2010 this still wasn’t quite enough. In a similar scenario, Sydney authorities initially distributed 70,000 condoms to athletes but an additional 20,000 were ordered to meet demand.

Foundation executive director Kerry Whiteside told The Kingston Whig Standard: "when we heard about the condom shortage in Vancouver, we felt it important to respond immediately. Safer sex is key to preventing the spread of the HIV virus."

The demand for condoms at the Vancouver Games is in stark contrast to Beijing. Last fall, a collector auctioned 5000 condoms that were left over from the 2008 Summer Games.

Photography - Iwona Kellie

(Originally reported by ANI)

Unregulated fights leave fighters at risk of HIV and hepatitis - 28.02.10

Photography – icantu

A Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Bill was last week passed in Iowa’s State Senate. The bill to amend Iowa’s law will now be put before the Iowa House. Unlike most other US states where officials or third party sanctioning bodies oversee regulation, Iowa (along with 15 other states) does not regulate amateur MMA fights.

Unregulated fights don’t require blood tests, leaving fighters vulnerable to catch a disease if an opponent with HIV or hepatitis gets cut and blood flies.

The proposed rules for amateur MMA fights would include:

HEALTH: Fighters would have to get tests for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C every six months. If they test positive, they could not fight. Fighters would need a physical at least 90 days before a fight.

MEDICAL CARE: A doctor would need to be present at events to check fighters before and after each bout.

Should Iowa clean up MMA fighting? Read the full story here.

U.S. HIV travel ban removed - 04.01.10

Photograph - Meironke

Some might say they were long overdue but on 4 January 2010, the United States introduced new immigration rules relating to HIV and in doing so, they eliminated a 22-year restriction on entry into the U.S. for people infected with HIV. The ban was imposed at the height of a worldwide panic about HIV and AIDS in the late 1980s.

This removal of entry restrictions means that people living with HIV will now be able to follow routine immigration procedures to visit and migrate to the U.S. This timely change in U.S. law has also removed an obstacle that had been jeopardising the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012), which has now been confirmed to take place in Washington, DC from 22 to 27 July 2012.

International AIDS Society President-Elect Dr. Elly Katabira, Professor of Medicine at Makerere University in Uganda, who will serve as the International Chair of AIDS 2012 said “The return of the conference to the United States is the result of years of dedicated advocacy to end a misguided policy based on fear, rather than science, and represents a significant victory for public health and human rights…” 

HIVfacts: For a complete list of countries and their policies for people living with HIV visit  NAMLIFE  

Football League Managers wear 'Badge of Hope'- 07.12.09

Once again Football League Managers showed their support for people living with HIV/AIDS by wearing the HIVsport ‘Football Badge of Hope’ over the World AIDS Day period. Managers seen sporting their badges on the touchline and in interviews ncluded Barclays Premier League Managers,  Sir Alex Ferguson, Rafa Benitez, Alex McLeish, Mick McCarthy, David Moyes, Harry Redknapp, Roberto De Matteo, Martin O’Neill and, Mark Hughes. From the Coca-Cola League we spotted Aldershot Town Manager, Kevin Dillon.

HIVsport wishes to thank all managers who made this voluntary gesture to show their support for World AIDS Day and in so doing help to reduce the stigma and discrimination that often accompanies HIV/AIDS around the world. HIVsport also wishes to thank the League Managers Association for distributing the badges on our behalf, demonstrating how social partnerships can really work and make a difference.

Images courtesy of: Action Images 

Britain’s political leaders deliver their World AIDS Day messages - 1.12.09

 Follow the links below to hear what the Prime Minister, Mr. Cameron and Mr. Clegg had to say about HIV and AIDS in 2009.

World AIDS Day launch for www.hivsport.org - 1.12.09

To mark World AIDS Day, Tuesday 1st December 2009, HIVsport announced that its newly expanded web site has now gone live. The official promotion event took place in the historic River Room of the House of Lords on Thursday 19th November and was kindly hosted by Baroness Joyce Gould.

Photography - Jacob Love

The evening was attended by leading figures from sports organisations and practitioners in the fields of sexual health and HIV/AIDS. Keynote speakers were the Rt. Hon. Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for the Olympics, Barry McGuigan MBE, former world featherweight champion and Gordon Taylor OBE, Chief Executive of the Professional Footballers Association (PFA). The event was held jointly with the Educational Sports Forum (ESF) to which HIVsport affiliates.

Baroness Gould spoke about the pressing need to maintain vigilance and resources to improve the sexual health of young people and to turn back the rise in HIV infections seen recently in the UK.

Tessa Jowell impressed upon the audience the need for the London Olympics to leave a lasting legacy of improved health for all people including sexual health. She commended the work of the 2012 London Olympics Sexual Health Planning Group of which HIVsport is a member and hoped that the Group could make a significant contribution to ensuring that the London Olympics meet best practices in encouraging good sexual health among competitors, visitors and others involved, including construction workers who are at the Olympic site now.

Barry McGuigan congratulated HIVsport for raising awareness of HIV/AIDS in sport and commented that it was particularly apt within his own sport of boxing where special care has to be taken to avoid the risk of transmission of blood borne viruses.

Gordon Taylor emphasised the importance of professional footballers acting as role models and noted the excellent work done by players such as Ryan Giggs in promoting awareness of HIV/AIDS through their work with UNICEF.

The evening ended with short speeches from Alan Irwin, Chief Executive of the ESF who placed particular importance on raising awareness of HIV/AIDS in the forthcoming World Cup year when the tournament will be held in South Africa, a country that has been badly affected by the HIV epidemic.

Andy Harvey, Chair of HIVsport wrapped up proceedings by thanking Baroness Gould for hosting the event, all the speakers, and SSL International for supporting the development of the web site which he hoped would act as a resource and information point for everyone involved in sport. He said that it was vital that all children across the globe should be able to grow up with their ambitions in life left undimmed by HIV/AIDS.

HIVFacts:
Latest figures from UNAIDS, the Joint United National Programme on HIV/AIDS, shows that over 33 million people were living with HIV/AIDS in 2008. There were 2.7 million new infections in 2008 and 2.00 million people died from AIDS-related illnesses.

According to UNAIDS there are 77,000 people living with HIV in the UK. The UK?s Health Protection Agency (HPA) states that 72% of new infections in the UK are among the 15 - 39 year-old age group. This is the group most likely to be engaged in sports.

President Obama to remove US HIV travel ban - 31.10.09

On Friday 30 October, President Barack Obama announced he would do away with a 22-year-old ban on entry into the United States for people infected with HIV; a law which he said was “rooted in fear rather than fact”. He shall introduce a new federal ruling that will eliminate the ban by the beginning of 2010. The US is currently one of 12 countries worldwide that prevent entry to people living with HIV.

The President speaking in the White House’s Diplomatic Reception Room said, "We talk about reducing the stigma of this disease, yet we've treated a visitor living with it as a threat," and added "If we want to be the global leader in combating HIV/AIDS, we need to act like it." Mr. Obama made his announcement after signing The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act, a piece of legislation that will extend federal funding for HIV/AIDS treatment to hundreds of thousands of low-income Americans who do not have health insurance.

HIVfact:  According to the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated 1 million people in the United States have HIV with almost one-quarter of them are not aware that they are infected.