OREANDA-NEWS. June 21, 2010. Gazprombank has started implementation of a charity Program to support and cultivate gifted young football players. The Program is based on a joint international debit card “Gazprombank – FC “Zenit” Master Card®.

The Charity Program provides that certain part of the profit earned from issue and usage of “Gazprombank – FC “Zenit” Master Card® will be invested into further development of the “School football” Program and youth football in Saint-Petersburg.

“The management of Gazprom, Gazprombank and Gazpromneft has always realized the importance of football and healthy life-style popularization in Saint-Petersburg and the country in general, - highlighted Alexander Dyukov, FC “Zenit” President. – Among our joint initiative, there are development and implementation of a unique “School football” Program that filled sports lessons in many schools of the city with a new sense. I’m sure that the new joint project of Gazprombank and FC “Zenit” will go beyond the frames of the “School football” Program and will contribute to renaissance and development of the whole youth football. Issue of “Gazprombank – FC “Zenit” MasterCard is a significant step on that way”.

“We are sure that the joint program with Zenit and MasterCard will contribute not only to recruiting and training of young football players for the main team but will also help engage hundreds and thousands of boys from Saint-Petersburg into sports and make healthy life-style more popular, - said Olga Dragomiretskaya, Vice-President and Head of Gazprombank Saint-Petersburg Branch. – The start of the Program is only a beginning of a big project. Currently, we are in process of negotiations with several companies that may join the charity program providing new bonuses and services to the cardholders and additional funds to support young sportsmen. Taking into account the actuality of preparation for the World Championships 2018/2022, bringing up the current generation of young football players becomes even more important because these are the boys who will represent Russia in 8-12 years.

“Having 20-year experience of UEFA Champions League sponsoring, we know that support of a football club unites people irrespective of their age, income and social status. “Gazprombank – FC ”Zenit” MasterCard is a unique product for the Russian market. It gives Zenit fans a chance to demonstrate fidelity to the team, it also has a very important charity component – to provide real help to gifted young players”, - said Ilya Ryabyi, Head of MasterCard Representative Office in Russia.

Among co-brand products of Gazprombank and Zenit there is also a principally new card MasterCard Elite football card. Holders of the card get one of the most prestigious card of the World Signia category that opens a wide range of possibilities and privileges including various types of insurance, medical and lawyer assistance, tourist services and many others.