By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
With the refugees crisis being one of the hot topics in Europe, Euroleague and its clubs are joining efforts to help refugees in Europe and bring awareness to their plight.
As Euroleague announced: “The reigning Euroleague champion, Real Madrid, announced early this month a €1 million donation that will be directed to aid refugees coming to Spain. Additionally, Madrid is studying ways to help the youngest refugees, including the possibility of offering them access to the club’s facilities and sporting goods.
Aid to refugees will take center court next week as Laboral Kutxa Vitoria Gasteiz plans to dedicate all proceeds from a preseason home game to a Save The Children fund to help displaced children from Syria. The Trofeo Diputacion friendly game, where the club presents its team to the fans each season, will be hold on Tuesday, September 29 at Fernando Buesa Arena with Eurocup newcomer Dolomiti Energía Trento of Italy as the opponent. The price of admission and donations from season-ticket holders, who have the game included in their packages, will be given to Save The Children. Moreover, Laboral players will wear the names of refugee children instead of their own on the backs of their jerseys. After the game, those jerseys will be put auctioned and the proceeds added to those from the game to help children affected by this refugee crisis. (For more information, check www.baskonia.com or call the Baskonia Store at 902139191.)
Meanwhile, FC Barcelona’s corporate social responsibility wing, the Foundation, has launched the ‘Tant se val d’on venim’ (No Matter Where We Come From) campaign and is teaming with the Red Cross to encourage all of its athletes, coaches, staff members and fans to make donations. Barcelona’s effort is geared towards fundraising, social awareness and helping refugees, up to 3,000 of whom are expected to relocate to Catalonia in the coming months, transition to their new communities. More information can be found here.
Finally, FC Bayern Munich will carry the focus on refugees into October and the start of its domestic season. For its first German League home game on October 2, Bayern will invite recently arrived refugees to enjoy the game among its fans. For its second domestic home game, on October 19, Bayern is organizing a winter clothing collection to be given to refugees”.