Naked and clutching a watermelon under his arm like a ball, Italian former rugby international Mirco Bergamasco flies through the air in a new advert for PETA proclaiming, ‘Get an Advantage: Go Vegan’.
The sports star, who’s been vegan for several years, credits plant protein with giving him the energy and strength to excel as a professional athlete.
The rugby phenomenon joins a growing list of athletes – including 2014’s Mr Universe, Barny Du Plessis; Germany’s Strongest Man 2011, Patrik Baboumian; American Ninja Warrior veteran Tim Shieff; football great Phil Neville and many others – who’ve teamed up with PETA to promote healthy and humane meat-free eating.
PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that ‘animals are not ours to eat’ – notes that vegan eating spares animals immense suffering in today’s industrialised meat, egg, and dairy industries.
In addition to keeping animals in extreme confinement and transporting them in all weather extremes, workers in these industries routinely slit live chickens’ throats, chop off piglets’ tails and testicles without painkillers, and tear calves away from their mothers shortly after birth.
Adopting a vegan lifestyle helps prevent human suffering, too, as vegans are less vulnerable to heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer and obesity than meat-eaters are.
‘Going vegan was one of the best things I’ve done, both for my rugby game and on a personal level. I’m strong and fit, my reflexes are sharp, my mind is awake, and my conscience is clear – I encourage everyone to give meat, eggs, and dairy foods the red card and see the difference for themselves!’
MIRCO BERGAMASCO
Italian former rugby international
Click here for PETA’s free vegan starter kit.
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