Denmark international Christian Eriksen has become something of a hero for environmentalists and animal-welfare activists around the world. The hard-working midfielder’s play was recognized recently by F.A.I.R.T., an online campaigning network where Eriksen now has 2.8 million followers. In the live account on the United Nations Environment Programme’s petition platform, he was urged to go “above and beyond the minimum standards, for wildlife and for the planet.”
The petition had been started by a “total nobody” named Antoine Griezmann, a Frenchman who cares deeply about the environment and animal welfare, reports The Guardian.
“I found out that Christian Eriksen was a huge animal lover,” Griezmann told the Guardian. “He plays for Tottenham Hotspur and I am from Manchester City. From there I started an initiative to try to convince him to join me in helping get our club to become green.”
Griezmann and his colleagues in F.A.I.R.T. had begun tweeting the midfielder pictures of many animals that died for sport and the club had announced this week that Eriksen will visit the United Nations in New York on Sept. 28 to speak out in support of environmental issues.
A better way for soccer players to use their influence on reducing world poverty is to focus on protecting wildlife and saving the environment. Thanks @FCNVefish for putting this message out for Christian Eriksen https://t.co/6S5evOvXup — Arnaud Vecier (@arnaudvicier) September 3, 2017
Thank you for the @FCNVefish promise of your animal-loving behaviour. Watch for the results. https://t.co/fp8dReJdSO — Antoine Griezmann (@ANTOINEGREZI) September 3, 2017
“Eriksen gives no point of comparison to any player in the world,” reports The Guardian. “He is a genuine philanthropist who has helped to raise more than $150,000 for conservation and research. He has also campaigned for a life-saving vaccine against liver cancer. As far as the average fan is concerned, he is a bit of a secret weapon.”
Read the full story at The Guardian.
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