Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited (NYSE: YGE) has teamed up with top German football club FC Bayern Munchen to bring underprivileged Chinese football talents to an international youth tournament next year in Germany.
Yingli Green Energy has joined FC Bayern Munchen and the Chinese Football Association ("CFA") to give young football talents in disadvantaged areas of China the opportunity to play in the Youth Cup, a scouting initiative for the world's best under-16 players. The Cup is an international charity youth competition with sponsors around the world. Yingli Green Energy's support of the Chinese talent search was announced at a press conference in Beijing today. Xue Li, Vice Chairman of Chinese Football Association joined head of the FC Bayern Junior Team and Youth Development Werner Kern at CFA's press center to outline details of the FC Bayern Youth Cup 2012.
Young football players from all across China will be selected in Tianjin and Hainan from March 20th to 30th. At the end of the competition in China, an All-Star team of the ten best young talents will be selected and travel to Germany to represent their country at the world final which will be held in May 2012 in the famous Allianz Arena stadium in Munich.
Speaking at the press conference, Ms. Judy Tzeng Lee, Director of Global Marketing and Development of Yingli Green Energy, said the Company will cooperate with the CFA in a series of "Football Global Exchange & Education" activities. These may include a youth summer camp and coaching exchanges with the FC Bayern Munchen.
"Yingli Green Energy has committed itself to public sports and makes great efforts to it," said Ms. Judy Tzeng Lee. "As an Official Premium Partner of FC Bayern Munchen, we are honored to contribute to our country's youth football through our sponsorship. We hope to bring more opportunities to China's young football talents. By providing international standard matches for these future stars, we hope to focus more attention on China's youth football training and attract more youth to this sport."
Mr. Werner Kern, Head of Youth Development, FC Bayern Munchen, is proud that Yingli Green Energy and the Chinese Football Association will host the FC Bayern Youth Cup 2012 in China. "We truly believe that football can provide a great platform for improvements to society. We hope to utilize our love for football to bring happiness and hope to children, especially those in disadvantaged areas. We are also very happy to share our knowledge and experience with Yingli Solar and the CFA to help enhance youth football development in China."
Speaking by video link, Mr. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Chairman of the Executive Board, FC Bayern Munchen, added, "Together with FC Bayern's knowledge in football and Yingli Solar's expertise in renewable energy, we are not only looking forward to enhancing the development of youth football in China. We also look forward to combining our love for football and for the environment in improving the society and protecting the planet we inhabit."