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19 March 2024

Football stars back Dubai Sports Council’s ‘Be Fit, Be Safe’ campaign

Photo: WAM

Published
By WAM

Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos and Nicolas Anelka, three of the biggest names from the world of football, have backed the Dubai Sports Council’s, DSC, "Be Fit, Be Safe" campaign and urged members of the UAE’s sports-loving community to stay at home and keep working out.

Supporting the efforts of the UAE government and the authorities to stop the spread of COVID-19, Figo, the "2001 FIFA World Player of the Year" and one of the greatest players of his generation released a video message to his "friends and fans in the UAE", through the DSC’s social media accounts.

"To all my friends in Dubai and the UAE, this is a really difficult moment and we need to take care of us and others as well. So stay at home and try to be fit while you are at home. Let us all say, ‘Be Fit and Be Safe’. Take care," he said.

Carlos, former Brazil and Real Madrid star, described as the most aggressive left-backs in the history of the game, also sent out a video message saying, "Hello my friends in Dubai and UAE, stay at home, and 'Be fit and be safe'."

Dubai resident, Anelka, a former France national team striker with clubs such as Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester City on his resume, said, "What’s up, guys. To all my friends in Dubai and UAE, be safe and don’t forget to train while staying at home. Let’s all say, ‘Be fit, be safe'."

The "Be Fit, Be Safe" campaign was launched by the DSC to encourage members of the community to continue exercising at home following the precautionary closure of gyms to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Through the campaign, which is being run under the hashtag #DSCchallenge, the DSC is urging members of the community to continue exercising at home and share their home workout videos online, tagging @DubaiSC, to help motivate and inspire others. The council also requested those sharing their videos to nominate two friends to take up the challenge.

As part of the campaign, the DSC has also collaborated with some of the leading brands from the UAE’s fitness industry to offer free daily virtual fitness classes, led by certified fitness trainers.

Italy’s Marco Schillaci, a long-time resident of Dubai and owner of Fitness and Wellness Personal Sports Coaching, has embraced the #DSCchallenge and has been sharing his home workout videos, one of which shows him doing the famous "Macarena" dance steps with his hands while he holds a squat.

"Thank you to DSC for this amazing campaign, #DSCchallenge," said Schillaci, who obtained his basic fitness certificates in Italy before travelling to Australia to attend classes at one of the country’s top fitness schools, the Australian Fitness Academy, for further certifications.

He added, "It is an amazing feeling to give something to the community during this tough period of quarantine. Online Live Classes are the best way to make everyone active and have fun."