Seven-time world formula-one champion Michael Schumacher leads the pack of sporting donors to victims of last week’s Asian tsunamis, giving a massive $10-million.
”The dawning of the new year has not been as joyful for us this year because of the catastrophe in Asia,” he said.
”We sympathise with the victims in their grief,” said Schumacher, whose own government is set to become the biggest donor to the Indian Ocean nations devastated by tsunamis by pledging €500-million in aid.
A fellow German, tennis star Nicolas Kiefer, came up with a novel way of fund-raising, saying he will donate $100 per ace he serves in three Australian tournaments.
”For every ace, starting now in Adelaide, then in Sydney, and finally in Melbourne, I will donate $100.
”Against Sjeng Schalken, I served five aces, or $500,” for the victims of the tsunamis, Kiefer said on his website.
”I’d love to improve on that figure against my next opponent, Frenchman Cyril Saulnier — and, of course, progress in the tournament,” he said.
The German football federation and league announced a donation of €1,5-million, while Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich will stump up at least €300 000 for a school or orphanage project in Sri Lanka.
”The number of victims, the images of devastation and the suffering of the people have deeply moved us,” said Bayern president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
”We want to try to extend a hand to children and people who have suffered and whose future appears so uncertain.”
In addition, a Germany XI will play a friendly match on January 25 against a Bundesliga select side, with proceeds also going to victims of the catastrophe.
Spanish and French Basque footballing rivals Real Sociedad and Bayonne, meanwhile, will also play a friendly, with proceeds going to the Red Cross.
The French football federation also donated €1-million in what is seen as a kick-start to efforts to mobilise a donation drive across all sports.
Football’s world ruling body Fifa also pledged $2-million, but specified that it is destined to help rebuild the footballing infrastructure in Asian countries hit by last week’s tsunamis.
Fifa said that the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has also pledged $1-million, meaning a ”solidarity fund” of $3-million.
”Fifa and the AFC decided to concentrate on reconstructing the footballing infrastructure in the affected areas,” it said.
The football associations that will qualify for the aid are those in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The funds will be used to ”donate football equipment to these associations or their members”.
Fifa added that it will be working with the Confederation of African Football ”to evaluate the situation in the African countries … also affected by the disaster”.
In Australia, officials said nearly 20 000 tickets were sold for the Asian tsunami appeal fund-raising one-day cricket game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on January 10 immediately after going on sale on Tuesday.
”It is a tremendous reflection of the strength of the international cricket community — fans and organisers — to come together to support the tsunami appeal,” International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed said.
The match has been arranged at short notice between a Rest of the World XI and an Asian XI at the 80 000-capacity MCG with all proceeds going to the relief fund.
The confirmed death toll from the massive earthquake and tsunamis that hit Indian Ocean shorelines last week neared 146 000 on Tuesday, with 52 countries reporting that their nationals were among the dead or injured. — Sapa-AFP