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Cape Town - Bafana Bafana stars Benni McCarthy, Steven Pienaar and Aaron Mokoena have thrown their weight behind a campaign supporting a gun-free World Cup.
The campaign is run by the International Action Network on Small Arms (Iansa), and celebrates the fact that guns have been banned from football stadiums for the duration of the tournament.
McCarthy, who plays for West Ham United, said in a statement issued by Iansa on Thursday that the fact that the World Cup was taking place in South Africa was a chance to show the world everything that was good about the country.
"It's great that guns will be banned from stadiums - it's going to be a fantastic party, and guns have no place in that," he said.
Several international footballers had also voiced their support for the campaign, Iansa said.
It quoted Carlos Tevez of Manchester City and Argentina saying that when he was growing up in Buenos Aires, he often heard gunshots at night.
He had had to choose between following his dream and giving his all to football, or falling into a life of crime.
"Hopefully, the World Cup will inspire kids in South Africa in the same way," he said.
"Guns have no place in sport, or in society. And if it's possible to have a gun-free World Cup, why stop there?"
The campaign is run by the International Action Network on Small Arms (Iansa), and celebrates the fact that guns have been banned from football stadiums for the duration of the tournament.
McCarthy, who plays for West Ham United, said in a statement issued by Iansa on Thursday that the fact that the World Cup was taking place in South Africa was a chance to show the world everything that was good about the country.
"It's great that guns will be banned from stadiums - it's going to be a fantastic party, and guns have no place in that," he said.
Several international footballers had also voiced their support for the campaign, Iansa said.
It quoted Carlos Tevez of Manchester City and Argentina saying that when he was growing up in Buenos Aires, he often heard gunshots at night.
He had had to choose between following his dream and giving his all to football, or falling into a life of crime.
"Hopefully, the World Cup will inspire kids in South Africa in the same way," he said.
"Guns have no place in sport, or in society. And if it's possible to have a gun-free World Cup, why stop there?"
