COVID-19: MB, EB to join campaign encouraging people to stay active

Mohun Bagan and East Bengal will be taking part in a global United Nations and World Health Organisation (WHO) campaign aimed to encouraging people to remain "active" during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

FIFA has joined forces with the UN and the WHO in supporting the #BeActive campaign launched on the UN International Day of Sport for Development and Peace to encourage people to be #HealthyAtHome as the world comes together in the fight against COVID-19, today and every day.

Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are among the several clubs part of this campaign.

The campaign kicks off with Real Madrid CF, FC Barcelona, Liverpool FC and Manchester United FC asking football fans to set aside their rivalries and to come together to be active in order to defeat the coronavirus.

Other clubs, including Club America, CD Guadalajara, Beijing Guoan FC, Shanghai Shenhua FC, Mohun Bagan AC, East Bengal FC, Melbourne City FC, Sydney FC, Auckland City FC, Team Wellington FC, CA River Plate, Olympique de Marseille, TP Mazembe, CR Flamengo and SE Palmeiras will also join the initiative in the coming days.

WHO recommends that all healthy adults do at least 30 minutes a day of physical activity and children at least 60 minutes per day. As part of this, #BeActive and remain #HealthyAtHome campaign encourages any other form of recreation and activities such as dancing, playing active video games, jumping rope to stay healthy at home.

Earlier, India captain Sunil Chhetri was picked by FIFA along with 28 past and present football icons to spread an awareness campaign to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The 28 players, who will be involved in the video campaign to be published in 13 languages, include the likes of Argentina and FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi and World Cup winners like German Philip Lahm, Spain's Iker Casillas and Spanish defender Carles Puyol.

As part of the campaign, world-famous players share the following message: "At this time, even rivals need to stick together. We have to keep our distance, but we do not lose our focus. We can show solidarity by being active, and active means following the guidelines from the WHO."

More than 70,000 people have lost their lives due to the pandemic, which has brought the entire world to a standstill.