Sunday 18th July 2021
Not just with words
Football supports flood victims
In the Corona crisis, football has a special role. He can continue playing. That attracts a lot of criticism. After the flood disasters in parts of Germany, sport offers support and solidarity worth millions.
The disturbing images of the devastation ensured that top German sport has come together and show solidarity with the victims of the flood disaster. The German Football Association (DFB), the German Football League (DFL), the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) and numerous top clubs such as Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have announced extensive aid programs.
The DFB and the DFL will set up a fund of three million euros, and the European Football Union (UEFA) has also promised its support. “This will not be able to alleviate human suffering. We hope, however, to be able to support at least some points together,” wrote DFB and DFL in a joint statement: “We take solidarity in this crisis situation for granted.”
Bavaria donates
This also applies to the Bundesliga clubs. For example, champions Bayern Munich, together with 1. FC Cologne and sponsor Telekom, donated 100,000 euros to the organization “Lichtblicke eV”. “The damage caused by this catastrophe is devastating,” said Munich’s CEO Oliver Kahn. They want to help people “who are in need through no fault of their own”. According to Kahn, the donation should only be a first step, the club is planning “further support”.
“It was immediately clear to all of us that we had to help,” said Bayern sports director Hasan Salihamidzic, referring to the catastrophe that has now struck Bavaria and Saxony after North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate: “We do not want to abandon those affected to let.” Cologne Vice President Eckhard Sauren is personally affected by the tragedy, which has so far claimed over 150 lives. “The catastrophic conditions are also right on our doorstep. My parents’ house was flooded,” said Sauren: “We wanted to set an example that people are not alone.”
The Cologne local rival Bayer Leverkusen wants to get involved on various levels. “Now it is especially important that we help each other quickly and unbureaucratically. To this end, we are in constant contact with the city of Leverkusen, Bayer AG and our fans who have been involved in and around Leverkusen for days,” said Bayer- Boss Fernando Carro, whose club has made a donation to the “Leverkusen helps” campaign.
Dortmund plans charity game
Those responsible at Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach are approaching the situation in a similar way. Both clubs want to play charity games – just like FSV Mainz 05 and 1. FC Kaiserslautern. “Borussia Dortmund will also do its part to help those affected,” said BVB boss Hans-Joachim Watzke. The Gladbach managing director Stephan Schippers said almost word for word. Dortmund’s sports director Michael Zorc announced that the benefit game would take place soon. BVB wants to host the game in nearby Hagen.
Bundesliga promoted VfL Bochum also announced a donation of 30,000 euros, Union Berlin also promised to donate the entire ticket revenue from a test match to the people affected by the disaster.
The DOSB, which, like the DFL and the DFB, already helped with the flood in 2013, is providing 100,000 euros in emergency aid for clubs affected by the disaster. “The flood also affects the sports clubs in the affected areas to a considerable extent,” said DOSB President Alfons Hörmann.
“Massive destruction and damage to sports and club facilities”, according to Hörmann, also threatened the existence of clubs, which are already weakened by pandemics: “That is why we want to help people to help themselves quickly and unbureaucratically.” The amount is to be topped up through an appeal for donations to the member organizations of the DOSB and third parties.
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