ONE genius deserves another! Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer and India’s cricketing maestro Sachin Tendulkar will come together next year to ‘fight drug addiction and criminality among youth’.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India received a letter from the Swiss Cricket Association expressing a desire to have Tendulkar share the platform with Federer for this cause.

BCCI’s Chief Administrative Officer Prof Ratnakar Shetty told MiD DAY yesterday that Tendulkar agreed to come on board. “Sachin expressed happiness to be part of this meeting and said he was a great fan of Federer,” Shetty said. The availability dates have to be worked out.

One of Tendulkar’s early sporting heroes was John McEnroe and he also plays a bit on tour. Federer was once quoted as saying, “I just really watch it (cricket) just because it’s relaxing. I understand the rules. The other guys, all my friends, they don’t understand the sport, so I got to switch. But that’s fine.”

The World No 1 tennis player visited tsunami-hit Kinnur Pudupettai in Tamil Nadu on December 23, 2006 as UNICEF ambassador. “BCCI is happy if any player is of use for a noble cause and to send a message across.

Getting such invitations speaks well of Indian cricket. Players like Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid have participated in activities for social causes. Their brand image puts out a strong message to the younger generation,” said Shetty.
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The Swiss Cricket Association and their government are keen to have an event each in Switzerland and India featuring the two sporting icons.

Next year is the Indo-Swiss Treaty of Friendship’s 60th anniversary