SPAIN: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - Dutch soccer legend Johan Cruyff visits Madrid to participate as a special guest at the opening ceremony of the Israeli stand at Spain's 2007 Tourism Fair (FITUR)

Dutch soccer legend Johan Cruyff visited Madrid on Wednesday (January 31) to participate as a special guest of the opening ceremony of the Israeli stand at Spain's 2007 Tourism Fair (FITUR). Israeli Tourism Minister Isaac Herzog welcomed both Cruyff and Joan Laporta, president of Barcelona football club, to the stand. Cruyff used to play for Ajax which is a popular club in Israel, and he is widely revered in Israel. He also has strong connections with Barcelona, having played and coached at the club in the past. After the opening of the tourism stand, Cruyff joined Laporta in speaking about sports role in promoting peace. "We are here because we support peace and sport and that is really important," Laporta said. "In sport the rules are everywhere the same, if you do a hand-ball in Madrid it's a penalty in Tokyo too, that's why I think with sport within the children, especially in that region, we can help a lot for the future," said Cruyff who has several times visited Israel on peace and sport missions. Herzog said: "Today we are hosting a man who is very well known in the world, an example that Israel is interesting to the rest of the world and brings many tourists to Israel. Johan Cruyff is a model to all of us. He is a person who has taught many generations and has a lively personality and is an interesting connection to the Jewish world". The tourism minister assured tourists that Israel, and especially Eilat, was welcoming visitors despite Monday's bomb explosion in which three people were killed.

ITN Source | February 1, 2007

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