”I never knew there could be a connection between sports and climate”
In Lagos, Nigeria, We Don’t Have Time partner Afrigod has hosted its first-ever Sports for Climate event — a football tournament for a brighter future.
The day-long football tournament on Saturday, November 28, featured four local teams — Goldenboyz FC, Divine Raiders FC, Nameless FC, and Workload NG — competing against one another. The event, organized in collaboration with We Don't Have Time and the Swedish Association for Responsible Consumption, began with a local litter cleanup, followed by discussions about the climate. At the end of the day of matches, it was Divine Raiders FC who took home the winners’ cup.
Afrigod’s new Sports for Climate movement has five main objectives:
- Help sports organizations reduce emissions caused by their operations.
- Leverage the worldwide popularity of sport to engage millions of fans in the effort to join the climate movement and take action.
- Raise awareness about climate change in communities across the world through sports.
- Mitigate the negative impact of climate change on sport and local communities.
- Contribute to achieving a net-zero emissions world by 2050, as agreed by global leaders in December 2015 at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 21) in Paris.
Miguel Peters, founder and director of Afrigod, stated after the games, “This was our first Sports for Climate event and not our last! The Afrigod Sports for Climate movement has both an opportunity and a duty to actively contribute to the global sustainability vision of a healthy environment and a clean climate, and also create opportunities for young sportsmen and women. Today was the beginning of paving that path.”
Goldenboyz FC coach Nzeagwu Markbrown Chimezie was enthusiastic about the event. “It was a privilege to be part of Sports for Climate, creating awareness of the impact of a clean environment,” he said.
“I never knew there could be a connection between sports and climate,” commented player Joshua Chukwu of the winning team, Divine Raiders FC, “but today through the Sports for Climate games I see that happening across the world.”
Ingmar Rentzhog, CEO and founder of We Don’t Have Time, believes that this could be the beginning of a new global movement.
”I am very impressed with what Miguel Peters has achieved. There is enormous potential in combining the passion for sports with the engagement for the climate. I encourage all organizers of sports events to follow this example, and to contact Miguel Peters to learn more about how it can be done”, he says.
You can watch highlights of the games on Afrigod’s YouTube channel or Instagram account. Follow Afrigod on the We Don’t Have Time app for future Sports for Climate events.
Written by LISA M. BAILEY
Match details:
Phase 1
Nameless FC (5 goals) vs (6 goals) Divine Raiders FC: 5–6
Phase 2
Workload NG vs Goldenboyz FC: 7–8
3rd place
Workload NG vs Nameless FC: 2–1
1st and 2nd place
Divine Raiders FC vs Goldenboyz FC: 1–0
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