International Athletes Speak Out About Polio

Team End Polio is a group of top international athletes, several of whom have been directly affected by the disease. All are determined to speak up on social media and at sporting events.

"When you compete in a sport like football, you have to rely on your teammates to defeat your opponent. The fight against polio is no different,” says Michael Essien, a coach and former star player from Ghana. During a trip to Liberia in June 2024, he says, he witnessed the collaboration and coordination required to implement a polio vaccination campaign. “To end polio, it will require all of us working together as one team,” he says.

One of the athletes, Ramesh Ferris wants you to see his legs.

“When people see me walking with my crutches and braces, if I’m not wearing shorts, they do not think of polio,” says Ferris, who contracted the disease at six months old. “But when people see my legs, they’re like, ‘Oh, what happened?’ It starts a discussion around what people can do to work together for a polio-free world.”

Read more about Team End Polio HERE.