New Delhi, Sept 18: Breaking the tradition, an HIV-positive person will toss the coin before the start of the first cricket Test between India and New Zealand at Ahmedabad next month as the international cricket council joined global efforts to fight against HIV/AIDS. ICC today signed a partnership with the joint United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS (UNSAID) in Mumbai, which aims at using the popularity of the game to raise awareness against HIV/AIDS in cricket-playing countries.

The other objective of the move was to incorporate UNAIDS education and training messages and materials in ICC's own global development programme and encourage various cricket boards to support the HIV/AIDS issues, according to a release issued jointly by ICC and UNAIDS here. "The threat of HIV/AIDS is many of the communities in which cricket is played is acute. I hope that through this partnership the ICC is able to play its part in helping UNAIDS turn the epidemic around," ICC chief Ehsan Mani said in Mumbai.

In India, the BCCI will work with UNAIDS in a wide range of awareness-raising activities. These include the distribution of information materials on the disease to sports commentators and journalists. Out of 42 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, an estimated 12 million live in cricket playing countries.

Bureau Report