Catalan giants Barcelona have joined forces with American businessman and philanthropist Bill Gates to help erase the debilitating polio disease.
Microsoft founder Gates, who runs the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with his wife, unveiled a partnership with FC Barcelona on Thursday with the goal of eliminating a disease that still claims around 1,500 children on an annual basis in countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, Chad and the Congo.
Gates said it was refreshing to be entering a relationship with the Blaugrana whilst Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola spoke very highly of the 55-year old computer magnate.
"Ninety-nine percent of the cases [of polio] have been eliminated," Gates told attendees of the event held at the Newseum. "We still have this one percent left and it's a serious problem. The last one percent is the most difficult of all and that's why I'm spending time on this.
"And we were talking about what's the most fantastic thing we can have to help remind people that we haven't finished and we need to re-energize this campaign. And someone was explaining to me this unbelievable soccer team.
"Soccer is something that people in Africa, in the countries where there still is polio, they know FC Barcelona and they know soccer and they'll be seeing the 'End Polio' on the jersey," Gates added. "And the countries we're counting on for their generosity that funds this 'End Polio' campaign, of course they're rabid soccer fans."
Guardiola added: "I talk for myself as a person, but also a club to be in a partnership with Mr. Gates, because he's a hero for us because he shows the way to help the people who needs more than the other ones."
