Selfless Sports Stars & The Fight Against COVID-19

Due to their popularity, financial success and inspirational qualities, athletes have enormous potential to support a worthy cause. In particular, during the current COVID-19 crisis, selfless sports stars and teams around the world are stepping up to provide financial and other kinds of support during this challenging time.

With many people isolated at home, and many sports fans unable to watch their favorite players or teams at the moment, it’s uplifting to read more about what sports stars are doing during this time to support their communities.

In this post, we’ll cover what some of the most well known sports stars and teams are doing to support COVID-19 relief efforts across the globe.

Selfless Sports Stars and Teams Supporting the Fight Against COVID-19

1. Christiano Ronaldo

Christiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo is an extremely popular and successful Portuguese sports star, so you can bet on him to be making a substantial contribution to the fight against COVID-19 in his native Portugal.

In particular, Ronaldo has donated 1 million Euros to the cause, and together with his agent, has also provided support to hospitals in Lisbon and Porto by donating life-saving medical equipment.

2. Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi

One of the most popular football stars on the planet, Messi has also contributed 1 million Euros to the cause. In particular, this donation has gone to the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, to help them treat victims of the pandemic and to assist with research.

3. Roger Federer

Roger Federer

Together with his wife, Roger Federer has donated 1 million Swiss francs to support vulnerable families in their native Switzerland.

4. Athletes for COVID-19 Relief Fund

In an effort to raise funds, several international athletes have donated items for auction to support the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s COVID-19 Response Fund.

This fundraising initiative allows people from all over the world to take part in a raffle to win a signed item from their favourite sports star, with a minimum donation of 25 dollars required to enter. This fund has been created to support organisations like Feeding America, Healthcare Ready, Meals on Wheels and the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics.

So far, sports stars like Stephen Curry from the Golden State Warriors, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, Washington Spirit midfielder Rose Lavelle and tennis champion Bianca Andreescu have contributed to the initiative.

5. English Premier League

In order to support those working on the frontline in healthcare, English Premier League teams like Brighton and Bournemouth have joined a campaign to make 100,00 free tickets available to those working in the National Health Service (NHS).

Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford has also raised money to ensure that no child goes without food during this time, donating 150 000 pounds to feed 600 000 children.

6. National Basketball Association (NBA)

As a group of sports stars admired around the world, several NBA teams have pledged to support hourly workers and stadium staff during this time. These teams include the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Sacramento Kings, the Philadelphia 76ers and the San Antonio Spurs to name a handful. The Golden State Warriors have also pledged 1 million dollars to a disaster relief fund.

On a personal level, Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers has contributed 100,000 dollars to support staff that work at the team’s stadium. In addition to the team contributions above, other individual players have also made donations to support staff, including Blake Griffin of the Detroit Pistons, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans.

From a social standpoint, many basketball stars are also helping those in need, including Stephen Curry and his wife, who are contributing to feeding schemes like Feeding America and Alameda County Community Food Bank.

7. Pakistani and Bangaldeshi Cricket Teams

As one of the most popular sports in Pakistan and Bangladesh, several cricket players have become involved in disaster relief efforts. This includes former Pakistani cricket captain Shahid Afridi, who through his charity has helped to distribute various supplies, including food, soap and other essential items.

In Bangladesh, cricketers are contributing half of their salaries to help contribute to COVID-19 relief efforts.

8. National Football League (NFL)

In the NFL, sports star JJ Watt from the Houston Texans, and his wife Kealia Ohai Watt, who plays professional soccer for the Chicago Red Stars, have also donated funds to support those in need in their area, namely to the Houston Food Bank.

Final Thoughts on Selfless Sports Stars and the Fight Against COVID-19

In the post above, we’ve given just a broad overview of the many selfless sports stars who are contributing their time and their resources to help to alleviate the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of course, there are many others who have contributed and continue to contribute to this cause who are not mentioned here. Overall though, it is inspiring to see how many sports stars have stepped up and used their popularity and influence to do good, to help to educate people about the seriousness of the virus, and also to provide a sense of hope to their many fans across the globe during this challenging time.