Sydney FC have put aside derby differences to join forces with the Western Sydney Wanderers in calling for safer behaviour on NSW roads.
As part of the NSW Government’s sponsored ‘Towards Zero’ round, Sky Blues shotstopper Andrew Redmayne took part in a powerful image, posing with 297 footballs gathered in a lone goal, each symbolic of a life tragically lost last year on NSW roads.
VIDEO: Why Redmayne Is Supporting The Campaign
Sydney FC CEO Danny Townsend said: “The Towards Zero Round is a great example of the shared vision for the type of culture we want to develop across the community and we are proud to be working to help save lives on our roads.”
The Towards Zero match will see both the Sky Blues’ and Wanderers goalkeepers wear the number ‘0’ on their backs as a powerful symbol of the Towards Zero message.
Four of those 297 lives lost in 2020 were siblings Anthony, 13, Angelina, 12 and Sienna Abdallah, 9 and their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11, who were tragically killed at Oatlands.
In a touching tribute, both Leila and Danny Abdallah and Bridget Sakr, parents of the children in the Oatlands crash, presented both goalkeepers with their commemorative ‘0’ jerseys ahead of Saturday’s match.
Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Roads Eleni Petinos thanked the Abdallah and Sakr families for their ongoing courage.
“Heartbreaking stories like the Sakr and Abdallah families, serve as a tragic reminder that these fatalities are not just numbers – it’s young people who had the world at their feet, mums and dads who’ll never come home, and football fans lost to their families and club forever,” Ms Petinos said.
Executive Director of the Centre for Road Safety Bernard Carlon said, with the help of the Wanderers and Sydney FC, the NSW Government is working towards bringing road safety, and in particular the slow down message, closer to home.
“So far this year we have seen speed related deaths drop below 40 per cent but speeding still remains the leading cause of death and serious injury on NSW roads,” Mr Carlon said.
“In order to reach our shared goal of driving the road toll Towards Zero every one of us needs to take responsibility for the speed at which we travel when getting behind the wheel.”
The Towards Zero Round between the Western Sydney Wanders and Sydney FC kicks off on Saturday at Bankwest Stadium at 7pm AEST.
