The ECA Executive Board, at its recent meeting in Milan on 1 March 2023, approved a donation of €500’000 on behalf of ECA and its member clubs to assist in the post-disaster efforts in Türkiye and Syria after the catastrophic earthquakes.
At the start of the meeting the Board heard a detailed account from fellow board member Ali Koç (Fenerbahçe SK, Türkiye) joining remotely from Türkiye, where he explained the terrible conditions and the difficult daily situation those working on site in the aftermath currently face:
“This is a long journey. It means changing our priorities, the most important thing for us now is having temporary shelter and accommodation.”
Speaking on behalf of the member clubs, ECA Chairman, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, offered the Board’s full support:
“We will do whatever we can to support our Turkish and Syrian brothers and sisters by working together and by all being fully committed as members of the football community.”
The Board also gave its approval for the ECA administration to now study the possibility of working with an international agency to help distribute these funds.
This engagement is linked to ECA’s promise in using the power of sport and football to actively contribute to transforming lives, uniting communities, and building a sustainable future.