Fulham FC players John Pantsil & Pascal Zuberbuhler attended the launch of Fulham Football Club Foundation’s Premier League 4 Sport scheme on the eve of the team’s FA Cup Quarter-Final replay against Tottenham Hotspur.

The players were asked to put their football skills to one side and encouraged by 50 young local participants to try out four Olympic sports (Judo, Table Tennis, Badminton & Volleyball) which make up the PL4Sport project and aims to increase the participation of young people in these four sports in the lead up to the London 2012 Olympic Games by linking Premier League football clubs with local community sports.

All twenty Premier League football clubs, the sports governing bodies, the Youth Sports Trust, Sport England and DCMS aim to get 25,000 young people across the country, aged between 11 and 16, to join local sports clubs during the three-year scheme.

Fulham Football Club Foundation has been involved in the project since last September and, working with Richmond Volleyball Club, Ebbisham Sports Club in Epsom, Graham Spicer Table Tennis Centre in New Malden and Ernest Bevin Judo Club in Tooting, has so far successfully delivered sessions to over four hundred local young people who have all had an opportunity to experience a new sport, receive expert coaching and showcase their skills at festivals.

Steven Day, Chief Executive of Fulham Football Foundation, said:

“As Olympic fever will undoubtedly start to grip the nation in the build up to the London 2012 Games, the PL 4 Sport programme comes at a great time for young people to get involved in sport. The programme allows young people to make use of their local sports facilities, enjoy participating in these four sports and lead a healthy lifestyle. The popularity of football and, in particular, the Premier League can act as a catalyst in encouraging young people to participate in other sports through this scheme and I’m delighted that the Fulham Football Club Foundation is able to play a key role in delivering this programme.”

Fulham FC defender, John Pantsil, added:

“There are so many sports for young people to enjoy and although some may not appear as popular as others, they all bring with them their own goals, ambitions and rewards. Participation in any sport is important to develop a range of skills such as team work, social interaction and communication; skills that are transferable and important in everyday life.”