Clean the beach at Praia da Baía another success

The list of beach soccer’s charitable acts is growing as each event offers something to help the locals

A FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup is no small activity, in fact it is the largest that the sport has to offer, but there is always time for such an important activity as a clean the beach. The miles and miles of amazing beach line in Portugal makes an event like this even more important. The fun-filled afternoon took place near the Espinho Stadium at the Praia da Baía beach where beach soccer officials, local organizing committee members, and locals all pitched in to pick up trash and rubbish from the Atlantic Coast beaches of Portugal. 

The President of the Local Organizing Committee, Pedro Dias, was among the long list of volunteers and helpers and when asked why it was so important to take part in such an event, he replied, “It is largely a social responsibility and we are very committed to the future of our beaches along with the Portuguese FA and FIFA, whom hold the same values.” Those core values and sentiments have helped to create a bond between the three organizations as well as with the country itself; one in which has an eye to the environmental impact we all have on the beaches we love to frequent. 

Not only has the clean the beach activity become a mainstay at national and international levels but it also has proved to be a fun volunteer action that has made a big difference. Gabino Renales, the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2015 Event Coordinator, said, “One of the many purposes of these types of events is to make people more conscious of the simple work that can be done, and is being done to respect the beaches and help sustain them for the enjoyment of everyone.” The work goes hand-in-hand with the excitement that happens on the beach soccer pitch, and just like in the games, everyone involved in Espinho had a fun and productive afternoon.