Asafa's spike fetches US$1,830 for IAAF charity

JIS
Friday, February 03, 2006



LONDON - World record holder Asafa Powell's right foot sprinting
spike, which he wore when he set the men's 100 metres world record
in Athens, Greece, last June, has helped the International
Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) to raise more than
US$30,000 for charity.

Powell was among scores of world-class athletes, past and present,
who donated gifts, including clothing, bib numbers and running
shoes, in an auction conducted on the IAAF's website. His spike was
sold for US$1,830.74, the third highest figure.

Cash collected in the IAAF's humanitarian project 'Athletics for a
Better World' is being given to three United Nations organisations -
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Children's
Fund (UNICEF) and World Food Programme (WFP).

The money will be equally divided among the three partners, and the
IAAF is paying all auction fees and the cost of shipping the items
to their winning bidders around the world.
The auction ended on January 31, and the last item on offer, the
gold medal competition kit and bib number, which Hicham El Guerrouj
wore when he won his first ever global title, raised the most for
any individual item - US$3,406.98.
The second highest sale price was the US$2,443.01 bid for Haile
Gebrselassie's framed 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games competition bib
number.

President Lamine Diack expressed sincere thanks to all who
participated.

"On behalf of the IAAF, I would like to sincerely thank all those
athletes and fans who have taken part in this first ever online
auction to raise money and public awareness for UN humanitarian
causes," he said.