Republic

Maria Sharapova set to assist Chernobyl-affected areas as goodwill ambassador

Famous Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova will become a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Development Programme. The official appointment ceremony is scheduled to take place at the UN Headquarters on February 14. On this day Maria Sharapova intends to announce her donations in support of projects for reviving areas hit by the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in 1986. Chernobyl has a special place in Maria Sharapova’s destiny. Let us remind you, Maria, who turns 20 on April 19, 2007, was born in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area of Russia. Her parents had left Gomel and settled there after the Chernobyl disaster. Soon after the birth the family moved to Sochi. Maria’s father was a friend of the father of famous tennis player Yevgeny Kafelnikov. It was Yevgeny who presented the first tennis bat to Maria. After that Maria Sharapova entered the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, which started Maria’s sport career. Relatives of Maria Sharapova live in Gomel now.