Food-for-tickets swap promotes Rugby"s values

 

By Paul Tait in São Paulo

In what is being seen as the practical application of rugby’s values, the Confederação Brasileira de Rugby (CBRu) recently introduced a way of giving something back to the local community in an innovative food-for-tickets scheme.

CONSUR’s new-look South American Championship involving the national teams of Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay afforded the CBRu the opportunity to host two matches and they decided to take the Chile game to Barueri (in Greater São Paulo, where the Brazil round of the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series took place) and the match against Uruguay in Bento Gonçalves, cities regarded as being the hot beds of Brazilian rugby.

The choice of venues did not come as a surprise but rather than using the games to make a financial return from fans, the CBRu instead took the decision to promote the spirit of rugby by helping local people living below the poverty line. Supporters were asked to bring non-perishable food stuffs in lieu of tickets with the takings subsequently distributed to those most in need.

Such an approach has been hailed as establishing rugby as a sport for all. Union authorities and individual clubs have long promoted the sport as one for males and females of all ages, all shapes and sizes and all socio-economic backgrounds. Whether an individual is light or heavy, tall or short, rich or poor there is a place for him or her on the rugby field.

Brazilian rugby is tackling poverty

CBRu Events Coordinator Bernardo Duarte said: “The motivation behind the initiative was to help those who need it most. It was a joint effort between Brazilian rugby and local governments to help tackle poverty by raising awareness through sport. The social funds of both Barueri and Bento Gonçalves were supported by the respective City Halls.”

Among the 3,000-strong crowd in Bento Gonçalves were rugby players from nearby clubs. One such spectator was Serra Rugby Clube back-rower Lucas Zandoná from the city of Caixas do Sul located 40km from Bento Gonçalves.

“I went to the match with 20 of my team-mates and we all donated non-perishables in exchange for the opportunity to see the Tupis host the Teros. It was very good and a fantastic experience for us,” Zandoná said. 

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“It acted to form a link between rugby and good deeds which is enabling the sport to become increasingly visible. I thought it was an excellent concept. I felt great in not only being in attendance but also in doing my part, my duty as a citizen.”

Free ticket to those who donate 1kg of food

The idea was simple, patrons were granted free admission in exchange for donating 1kg of non-perishable foods at the gate. Under the slogan “o rugby é também solidariedade”, which loosely translated means “rugby means solidarity” the CBRu gathered a total of 1,334kg of non-perishable foods at Bento Gonçalves and approximately 2,500kg in total. Items collected in Bento Gonçalves included 131kg of beans, 113kg of corn flour, 97kg flour, 10kg of lentils, 155kg of pasta, 727kg of rice and 101kg of sugar.

The collected items are to be donated to local charities. Items collected in Bento Gonçalves will be handed over to the Ação Social de Bairro São Roque de Bento and more than 100 families which have been identified as being in need by the organisation. Items collected in Barueri are to go to the City Hall’s Social Fund.

The IRB itself partners with the United Nations World Food Programme in delivering the Tackle Hunger initiative to rugby audiences around the world. Established at Rugby World Cup 2003, Tackle Hunger is designed to engage with and mobilise the global rugby community to raise funds and awareness about WFP’s work on the frontlines of hunger around the world. The partnership focuses on the strong link between good nutrition, mental and physical development and sporting excellence. To find out more, click here. 

In addition, the IRB runs a hugely successful ‘Get Into Rugby’ mass-particpation programme in Brazil. It forms part of the IRB strategy to grow the Game globally in partnership with its member regions and unions. The aim of the programme is to encourage players of all ages to try, play and stay in Rugby. Click here for more. 

This feature forms part of our Around The Regions series exploring the game beyond its traditional heartlands. Do you have an interesting story to tell about Rugby around the world? Let us know by emailing aroundtheregions@irb.com.

Article source: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/rugby/ulster-rugby/gareth-anscombe-lets-fly-at-ulster-rugby-clowns-30398874.html

Food-for-tickets swap promotes Rugby"s values