Qatar’s premier football league said it would donate all proceeds from an upcoming semi-final match to victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
The Qatar Stars League (QSL) said the initiative will “allocate the proceeds from ticket sales of Qatar Cup 2023 semi-finals, to be held at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium of Al Sadd club on Thursday February 9, to support those affected by the effects of earthquake that occurred in Turkey and Syria recently,” a statement read.
“The initiative comes from QSL’s keenness to play its role in line with its Corporate Social Responsibility and to contribute towards providing a helping hand to the victims and the affected,” it added.
QSL urged fans to help boost the proceeds by purchasing tickets and attending the match.
The move is just the latest in a string of efforts by members of the community and organisations in Qatar to help victims struck by the natural disaster.
Qatar’s community has also joined efforts to gather donations in Doha for the victims, with donation drives set up in two areas in Doha.
The Turkish embassy in Qatar announced donations can be dropped off from Wednesday until the end of the week between 9am-5pm daily.
All aid will then be delivered to Turkey through Turkish Airlines and straight to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
The materials, all which must not be used, include winter clothing, tents, bed, mattresses, blankets, sleeping bags, heaters, and thermos.
Other items also include flashlights, power banks, instant food items, child food, diapers and sanitary kits. All of the listed necessities must be donated in a transparent bag that is addressed to the Turkish centre.
The post, also shared Qatar’s Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, has garnered hundreds of comments from people seeking to provide aid to those affected by the earthquakes.
The Gulf state has already dispatched a search and rescue team along with 10,000 mobile homes and much-needed equipment to alleviate the suffering of thousands of victims.
The two deadly earthquakes rocked Turkey and neighbouring Syria on Monday.
The first 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck early in the morning with the epicenter close to the Turkish city of Gaziantep. Hours later, this was followed by a second quake with a magnitude of 7.5 in southeast Turkey.
The earthquakes are one of the deadliest to occur in the region this century.
On Wednesday, the confirmed death toll in Turkey and Syria neared 10,000.
The World Health Organization has warned the death toll could reach as high as 20,000 as rescue operations continue.
