German Football Ambassador presents nomination certificate in the German Embassy in Zambia to the nominee in the main category “coaches 2019” Petra Landers
PRESS RELEASE
Berlin/Sambia I March 12, 2019
Petra Landers receives nomination certificate in the main category “Trainer 2019” at the German Embassy in Zambia
Handing over took place together with the German Ambassador in Zambia, Achim Burkart.
German Football Ambassador e.V. emphasizes equality of women and girls in football in its engagement.
Petra Landers was also the oldest participant in the highest football match in the world.
Petra Landers visits Bauleni United Sports Academy
For the seventh time, the German Football Ambassador has nominated German coaches for their outstanding social commitment abroad with and around football. The first of the three nominees (also nominated are Jürgen Klopp / FC Liverpool and Michael Weiss / National Team of Mongolia) is the former German national football player Petra Landers, who has been committed to equal opportunities for women and girls in football since the 1980s.
Pioneer of football for women and girls
Roland Bischof, President of the Association of German Football Ambassadors, visited her in Zambia with a Deutsche Welle team and with the support of the Goethe-Institut, underlining her nomination with the words: “Petra Landers is an extraordinary woman who as a pioneer in Germany has advanced women’s football and who today passionately supports equal opportunities for girls and women in sport, especially in football”.
At the handover in Lusaka, the German Ambassador, Achim Burkart, praised her social commitment in Zambia. Petra Landers, who is even considering moving to Zambia later, visited the poor district in Chawarma after the handover, as well as the Bauleni United Sports Academy, where she spontaneously led a training session and to which she will also donate her prize money.
Football is her life. As an active football player, Petra Landers was instrumental in establishing women’s football in Germany. After the unofficial world championship title with Bergisch-Gladbach (there was no official German national team yet), she also took part in the official international premiere of the German women’s game against Switzerland in 1982, became European champion in 1989 with the first participation of a DFB team in the European Championship and celebrated four championship titles with Bergisch-Gladbach.
Forerunner for equality between women and girls in sport
Her social-sport commitment began in 2009 with a documentary “The most beautiful trivial matter in the world”, by filmmaker Tanja Bubbel, about the beginnings of women’s football in Germany. There she met the founders of Discover Football, who invited Petra Landers in 2010 to the jury of the first tournament of women’s football teams from disadvantaged countries. As a member of the jury, she had to choose from several teams competing for the tournament. The team from Zambia touched her heart with their team spirit and appearance and never let go.
In 2012 she gave up her ten years of self-employment and concentrated on girls’ football, first as a coach at the girls’ football camp in Lebanon and since 2014 she has been training women footballers in the poor district of Chawama in Zambia in regular workshops. In 2018, she led the streetfootballworld workshops “Coach the coaches” in Zambia and Uganda for the first time. Especially in Zambia, she was often involved in girls’ football at her own expense.
Eldest participant of the highest football match in the world
In 2017, Petra Landers, aged 55, was also the eldest participant in the “Equal Playing Field” initiative with around 30 other female footballers from 20 countries, who were all keen to set a daring record at Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Two teams played a 90-minute game at an altitude of 5,895 metres to draw attention to the discrimination against women in sport, especially in football.
“This was the greatest physical challenge of my life,” says Petra Landers. “In 2020, the official women’s football will be 50 years old, then I will have played football for 50 years and will play my last game. A good active conclusion. Maybe at some point I’ll start my own organization to continue supporting women and girls in football.”
German Football Ambassador e.V.
The German Football Ambassador based in Berlin was founded in 2011 by Roland Bischof and honours German coaches and players who contribute to the positive image of football and Germany through their appearance and commitment. The awards are combined with prize money for social projects. From Nepal to Namibia: Since 2013 the club has supported more than 25 projects worldwide.
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