In American football, a foul committed on the field does not usually bring an immediate halt to the game, and so in order to be aware that a foul has been committed in a particular location, the official throws a characteristic yellow flag onto the spot where it occurred. Although the 2011 season will not start until April, Polish officials have already thrown their first flag of the season – against leukemia.
Photo (courtesy e-fotosport.pl): Jędrzej Stęszewski – in the middle, Krzysztof Walentynowicz – the third from the left.
The officials of the Polish League of American Football (PLFA) have joined forces with the DKMS Foundation to combat this common enemy. The campaign, titled “Flag Leukemia” (“Rzuć Flagę Białaczce” in Polish), aims to actively promote the fight against a disease that does not eventually have to become terminal, and will run throughout the entire 2011 football season. Action will be centered in the 25 Polish cities that host the 30 teams participating in Poland’s three levels of organized American football, and will be supplemented by promotion on the Internet.
“Unsportsmanlike conduct on the field is always punished, and leukemia certainly doesn’t play fair”, explained Krzysztof Walentynowicz, Chairman of the Officiating Department of the Polish American Football Association (PZFA). “As officials, we try to avoid, above all, the unnecessary escalation of emotions and punishment. Therefore, we want to convince as many people to become potential bone marrow donors, so that leukemia’s influence on our lives may be reduced as much as players’ injuries. We want a situation in which the phrase ‘you have leukemia’ is not tantamount to a death sentence”, adds Walentynowicz.
PZFA Commissioner Jędrzej Stęszewski commented, “I am extremely proud of our officiating organization. Their activities in the fight against leukemia have their roots in sincere, unselfish willingness to help in the fight against this terrible disease.”
Joanna Mejner, from the DKMS Foundation, added her thoughts. “The opportunity to cooperate with the PZFA’s Officiating Department allows us to reach a target group, with a very high potential when it comes to candidates for bone marrow donors. I firmly believe in the fact that sports fans, being full of great emotions, will also turn out to be people with great hearts, and that their unselfish support will save not one but many lives.”
It is believed that the PZFA’s Officiating Department is the first such organization not only in Poland, but also in the world, to initiate such a campaign. The officials will set an example themselves, by giving samples of their genetic material during their annual pre-season clinic. Everyone involved with the league, from coaches to spectators to everyone in between, can become a donor, by looking out for visibly marked places where samples can be given at selected league games this season. Throughout the year, information on the campaign and on how to fight leukemia will be distributed at all PLFA stadiums.
Current information about the campaign, together with answers to questions that frequently arise for potential marrow donors, can be found at: http://www.rzucflage.pl.
Source: www.pzfa.pl