World No Tobacco Day 2002
Tobacco free sports

Launch

The launch of the Tobacco Free Sports campaign took place in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 22, 2001 at the Geneva International Conference Center (CICG). WHO's Director-General, Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland launched the campaign along with top officials from the Federation de Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Mr. Johann Koss, four-time Olympic gold medallist and Chairman of Olympic Aid, as well as Mr. Adolf Ogi, the Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace, also joined WHO in this international launch.

Each of the 12 athletes of the international coalition were invited to attend and participate in the launch through statements that they prepared on their support for tobacco control through Tobacco Free Sports. Unfortunately, both Mr. Imran Khan and Mr. Mahmoud El-Khatib were unable to attend the launch due to personal and work-related reasons respectively. However, they submitted their statements to be shared at the press conference in Geneva