Nadal, Gasol launch fundraiser to pay back debt to Covid-hit Spain

News24
27 Mar 2020, 00:42 GMT+10

Spanish sports stars Rafael Nadal and Pau Gasol launched a fund-raising drive on Thursday explaining they wanted to give something back to the coronavirus hit nation that nurtured them to greatness.

Tennis ace Nadal and NBA hero Gasol have targeted raising €11 million in the nation that has suffered the second-highest total of coronavirus deaths.

"The Spanish people have never let us athletes down. We are what we are because of them," said Nadal, a 19-time Grand Slam winner.

"We cannot let them down now," said the world No 2 tennis player.

Nadal said he came up with the idea and called his fellow Spaniard and friend Gasol to help promote his drive.

More than 4 000 people have died from coronavirus in Spain.

"Spanish athletes have always tried to make our nation proud, today we want to go beyond that," said Gasol, the Milwaukee Bucks star and double NBA champion.

"We want to raise €11 million and help 1.34 million people, those hardest hit by coronavirus," the 39-year-old centre said.

"My contribution and Rafa's too have already been made and I hope the whole of Spanish sport will rally behind us," he said.

Among the first to react was World Cup winning goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

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Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui, a former Spain manager, posted his support on Nadal's Instagram account.

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