Green ethics reward for Klagenfurt - Wörthersee Stadion

The Wörthersee Stadion in Klagenfurt, one of the venues for UEFA EURO 2008™, has been awarded the Green Ball award in recognition of its concept of sustainability, as Martin Hiden emerges as the first "climate-neutral professional footballer".

Green Power
The Green Ball is awarded to institutions and projects that make significant contributions to promoting the environmental sustainability concept of UEFA EURO 2008™. The Wörthersee Stadion received the prize for the planned introduction of its EMAS environmental management system which focuses on using green energy sources, and the stadium's water supply will be partly heated with solar cells rather than relying completely on conventional heating. Josef Pröll, Austrian minister of agriculture, forestry, environment, and water management, handed the award to Klagenfurt mayor Harald Scheucher and to the head of the city's organising committee, Manfred Pock.

'Climate neutral footballer'
Pröll is also no doubt pleased that Austrian international Martin Hiden, who plays for SK Austria Kärnten, has pledged to play an active role in helping to protect the environment. He plans to compensate for all CO2 emissions made in the course of his travels by investing in Austrian projects to combat climate change. "I want to increase my involvement in climate protection while giving a clear signal to the younger generation," Hiden said.