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Day: 5 November 2021

Be a quitter this November

by: Stephanie Horsman
05/11/2021

November is tobacco-free month in the Principality and several government departments along with the Princess Grace Hospital have launched a campaign to help people stop smoking.

Smoking is on the decline in France and Monaco, but it remains the number one cause of preventable deaths each year. Smokers die at a rate of 75,000 per year, with an additional 5,000 dying from complications due to second-hand smoke in the two countries, and of the 283,000 annual cancer diagnoses, 20% are tobacco related, with 80% being lung cancer.

It is estimated that a smoker’s life expectancy is cut by two full decades, costing health and related services €45 billion per year. Revenue created by the purchase of cigarettes is one third of that, at €15 billion.

For the sixth year, the Department of Health Action services, the Department of Social Affairs and Health, the School Medical Inspectorate, the Sports Centre and the Department of National Education, Youth and Sports along with Princess Grace Hospital have banded together to inform people of the dangers of smoking, as well as to give them tools to quit. Schools are also in on the campaign, having received means and ways to get the message across to young people.

Those wishing to kick the habit can register with the Tabac Info Service by visiting the website at https://www.tabac-info-service.fr/, calling 39 89 free in Monaco or joining a social media community with the same goal.

Kits to stop are free of charge from the Tabac Info Service website.

The kit contains an agenda that goes beyond the 30 days of November containing advice, a kind of roulette wheel that allows people to calculate post-quitting savings, which on average come to about €3,600 every year, and a document entitled “The stress does not pass by me”.

The medical community is also ready to assist by offering medications that help curb withdrawal cravings, making the process easier. The drugs are fully reimbursable.

The 30-day event is symbolic in that studies found that those who go a month without smoking are five times more likely to quit for good. The physical cravings will have passed in this time, as will some of the psychological dependence.

Around 60% of smokers try to quit each year. They don’t all succeed the first time, but oftentimes, subsequent attempts work. It is encouraging that the percentage of smokers in France and Monaco has gone from 29% in 2016 to less than 25% today, showing a strong willingness to make it happen.

“We know we’re capable of doing better”

by: Luke Entwistle
05/11/2021

Despite a flurry of second-half chances, AS Monaco were held to a goalless draw by PSV Eindhoven at the Stade Louis II. However, results elsewhere kept Kovac’s men top of their Europa League group.
ASM started sloppily and slowly, unable to build any attacking momentum, and despite the threat posed by PSV’s Vertessen in particular, whose bursting runs drew fouls in dangerous areas, ASM were nonetheless defensively solid.
Monaco, usually quick and dynamic on the break, failed to execute their counter-attacks against an attacking PSV, often breaking down through sloppy passing, miscommunications, or a general lack of desire to commit to the attack, preferring instead to retain possession.
The lack of energy on the pitch translated to the stands. As the half-time whistle blew, the ASM players trudged back to the dressing rooms amidst silence, neither applause nor boos from the stands, just a general apathy towards the performance.
Clearly similarly discontent with his side’s first-half performance, Kovac wrung the changes at half-time; on came Golovin, Diop and Sidibe to provide extra attacking impetus. As well as making a triple change, Kovac also gave an insight into his half-time team-talk. “Sometimes one must wake the players up. Today I was maybe a bit louder than usual.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CV3kBrQM3hi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Kovac’s words and actions had the desired effect. ASM came out a lot more lively in the second-half, and looked the more dangerous side. Golovin, still building up his fitness following injury, added extra flair and creativity, whilst ASM were also grateful for Diop’s direct running.
Almost immediately after the break, Boadu had a gilt-edged opportunity to open the scoring, having found himself one-on-one with the keeper, but his attempt to round the PSV keeper was foiled. Boadu was played in once more just moments later, but poor control meant the chance went begging.
The best chance of the night fell to Tchouaméni, whose header was spectacularly cleared off the line by PSV defender Ramalho. The score therefore remained 0-0, and that is how it finished. Real Sociedad’s draw at home against Sturm Graz ensured that Kovac’s men remained top of their Europa group with two games remaining.
During the post-match press conference, Nico Kovac, when questioned by Monaco Life about Golovin’s fitness and impact from the bench said, “We must increase his workload. He needs game-time, and little by little he will re-find his rhythm, and we will see the ‘Golo’ of last season.”
Kovac also said that he was encouraged by his side’s second-half display. “My team wanted to win, but my feeling is that we were sometimes a bit restless, not too confident. In the second-half it was much better, we tried a lot more.” Although happy with the draw, Kovac also called for improvements. “I am happy with the point, but we know we’re capable of doing better.”
Kovac’s men have the opportunity to get back to winning ways with a trip to Reims on Sunday.
 
Photo source: AS Monaco
 
 

Countdown to Golden Foot Award

by: Luke Entwistle
05/11/2021

The build-up to the Golden Foot Award, to be held in Monaco on 29th November, has begun with the closing of the public vote to decide this year’s winner. Amongst those who will be present on the Promenade des Champions will be former AC Milan and Italy defender, Paolo Maldini.
In a change to the planning of the award, the Golden Foot will now be awarded on the 29th November at the Fairmont in Monte-Carlo, rather than the original 9th November date. The new date coincides with the award of another prestigious football award – the Ballon d’Or, which will take place in Paris.
The poll to decide the winner from members of a shortlist that was opened back in August closed on 31st October. The 10-man shortlist is as follows: Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, Giorgio Chiellini, Neymar, Mo Salah, Sergio Ramos, Sergio Aguero, Gerard Piqué, Karim Benzema and Romelu Lukaku.
One of these players will quite literally follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner Cristiano Ronaldo, by receiving the award and having their foot printed on the Promenade des Champions. Lewandowski and Benzema will be amongst the favourites, having both enjoyed prolific seasons for club and country.
Having captained his country to victory in the European Championship in the summer, Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini will also have his eyes on the prize. His glittering career has emulated that of the great Paolo Maldini, a fellow Italian defender who was a serial winner at club level. Maldini will also be honoured alongside fellow greats of the game, Gabriel Batistuta, Günther Netzer and Gabriele Oriali, all of whom will be present to receive the Golden Foot Legend Award.
On the 29th November, the 19th edition of the much coveted Golden Foot Award, will see the legacy of another great of the game cemented in history.