September 6 – Real Madrid, the world’s richest club, has become the latest side to join the drive to aid Europe-bound refugees after announcing it will donate €1 million to help those arriving in Spain.
The move follows a similar pledge made by Bayern Munich who said they would raise the same sum from a charity match, and would also set up a camp for refugees, providing accommodation, food, German lessons and football equipment to hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the likes of war-torn Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan as well as troubled countries in North Africa.
“Faithful to its commitment to charity, the club has taken this decision with the aim of supporting men, women and children who have been forced to leave their homes in order to flee from war and death,” a Real statement said.
“(Real Madrid) is considering various initiatives and schemes with a special focus placed on the youngest refugees. It will also make some of the club’s infrastructure and sports goods available to the (Spanish government’s) inter-ministerial commission that organises the system for receiving refugees.”
Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Schalke and other Bundesliga teams have also pledged to donate funds, some setting up their own charity programmes, with several offering refugee children a chance to join their football academies.
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