Faneva Andriatsima on Coronavirus: "When you have health, you have everything"

Text by: Hugo Moissonnier

Faneva Andriatsima, star player of the Madagascar team, lives confined to Saudi Arabia because of the Coronavirus pandemic. The 35-year-old striker told RFI about this experience.

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RFI: Faneva Andriatsima, Saudi Arabia is concerned by the spread of Covid-19 and the containment of the population is one of the measures taken by her government. What is your daily life like now?

Faneva Andriatsima : For several weeks, our life has changed. As the virus spread in Europe, we started playing matches behind closed doors. We played two games under these conditions. Then the authorities began to ban events that could bring many people together, including the soccer championship. It's been about ten days since the competition and training have been suspended and we are confined. Afterwards, I still manage to work and maintain myself. I live in a large residence, three other players are my neighbors. We have room for training, biking ... we even have our own soccer field! But it is necessarily a delicate situation. It is the complete cessation of sport and our work. But health is the priority and the Saudi authorities were right to stop the championship.

At least your family is by your side! It was not necessarily won and it is a consolation.

Of course ! Basically, I live alone in Saudi Arabia and they come from France to see me during school holidays. The last one was in February and they were due to leave on March 8. But as the situation started to get complicated in France we delayed and, finally, they are still there, by my side. So much the better because it would have been very difficult to be alone at home in Saudi Arabia with the rest of the family confined far from it! We are together to live this exceptional situation ... And I think of course in Madagascar, also affected by the epidemic. I hope that people who have traveled to risk areas have been quarantined after their return to the Big Island. They could infect other people. Containing the spread of the virus could be very hard for us, the Madagascans.

Many great African players have taken the measure of the event, like Didier Drogba or John Obi Mikel. For them, there is more important than football in life. Is this also the message you want to convey in this difficult period?

Yes ! The most important thing for now is this virus which is spreading all over the world. I think of the consequences of this epidemic in the future. Not only in football, I am also thinking of the global economy which will slow down. Before, it was China, now Europe ... Really, the most important thing is health. Obi Mikel was right to terminate his contract in Turkey. Health is the most beautiful thing there is. When you have health, you have everything! Strength to the Malagasy! I am wholeheartedly with you, we can defeat this virus.

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