European sports stars encourage citizens to vote in European elections

Footballers, football clubs, tennis tournaments, and Paralympians have joined in with the EU’s #UseYourVote campaign ahead of the European Parliament elections on 6-9 June.

Leading footballers including Belgian Red Flames captain Tessa Wullaert, Anna Johanning of the German national team, and Finland’s Sanni Franssi, among other stars of the women’s game, have signed a #UseYourVote football. A similar initiative is being undertaken in the men’s game in the context of Saturday’s Champions League final, and major European clubs including Europa League winners Atalanta, FC Bayern München, AC Milan, and SSC Napoli have or are set to use their platforms to encourage citizens to vote.

In Brussels, Belgian national football team player Amadou Onana organised a mini tournament for 16 to 18-year-olds on 25 May to encourage them to vote for the first time. At the Brussels 20 km race on 26 May, 1 300 staff members of the European institutions ran under the “Running for Europe” banner alongside an information stand at the race finish about the upcoming elections.

Elsewhere, the Internationaux de Strasbourg Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tournament (18 -25 May) displayed a #UseYourVote campaign banner at the host venue, as well as hosting an information stand, and Italian Paralympic triathlon bronze medallist Veronika Yoko sported a #UseYourVote campaign scarf during Milan Fashion Week.