Logo

Logo

Rafael Nadal launches fundraising campaign to fight COVID-19 pandemic in Spain

Rafel Nadal has joined hands with Pau Gasol to raise 11 million euros and has made an appeal to everyone to come forward and contribute to their cause.

Rafael Nadal launches fundraising campaign to fight COVID-19 pandemic in Spain

Rafael Nadal. (Photo by Zhou Dan/Xinhua/IANS)

Spanish Tennis ace Rafael Nadal, along with his country’s NBA star Pau Gasol, has launched a fundraising campaign to help their nation fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The novel coronavirus has wreaked havoc in Spain where more than 5,000 people have died, making it the second most-affected country after Italy. Spain on Saturday witnessed over 750 fatalities, highest on a single day since the first COVID-19 case was reported there.

The duo of Nadal and Gasol has targeted to raise 11 million euros ($12.3 million) and has made an appeal to their fans and fellow sportspersons to come forward and donate to their cause.

“The Spanish people have never let us athletes down. We are what we are because of them. We cannot let them down now,” 19-time Grand Slam winner Nadal was seen saying in a video on his social media platforms.

“Spanish athletes have always tried to make our nation proud, today we want to go beyond that. We want to raise 11 million euros and help 1.34 million people, those hardest hit by coronavirus,” the 39-year-old double NBA champion Gasol said.

Among the athletes who have contributed to Nadal and Gasol’s cause are former Spain and Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder David Silva, Tennis player Garbine Muruguza, former Tennis world number one Carlos Moya, Moto GP racer Marc Marquez, Tennis player Roberto BautisoAgut and Formula One driver Fernando Alonso.

Advertisement