Slovenian athletes and federations also offer help

One of the first to offer financial assistance was the European Football Federation (Uefa), headed by its President Aleksander Čeferin, which, in cooperation with the Football Association of Slovenia (NZS), donated €300,000 to those in need. The NHS added a further €20,000.

The Slovenian Ski Association and the Planica Organising Committee have also donated 10,000 euros.

The Olympic Committee of Slovenia - Association of Sports Federations donated €30,000 to those affected by the floods. The umbrella Slovenian sports organisation announced that this is only the first part of the aid to those most affected by the floods. At the same time, the OKS also thanked the many sportsmen and women who have donated part of their earnings and prizes from past competitions to those affected by the floods.

Basketball star Luka Dončić also made a new charitable gesture

Dončić, in cooperation with his foundation, also delivered a large consignment of cleaning equipment and other tools to Prevalje to help with the floods.

Cycling star Matej Mohorič found out about the storm in Slovenia while competing in a race in Poland. He immediately responded selflessly and donated all the €24,495 prize money he received for his overall victory to help those affected through his foundation.

Cycling ace Tadej Pogačar will also contribute and help his compatriots by meeting fans and signing autographs in Ljubljana on 23 August. He has pledged an initial donation of EUR 10,000 and will add EUR 10 for every selfie he takes, so he is inviting as many compatriots as possible to Congress Square.

Janja Garnbret will donate all the prize money to the victims of the tragedy, in recognition of her outstanding achievements in Bern

At the World Sport Climbing Championships, Janja Garnbret, the sport's number one star, said she would donate all the prize money from her outstanding performance in Bern to those affected by the tragedy. In cooperation with the insurance company Allianz, this amount will be doubled. In Bern, the Korossian became world champion in the bouldering and combined events, and came second in the difficult event.

Tamara Zidanšek, Slovenia's current top tennis player, has also promised to donate all the prize money from the tournament in Maspalomas, Canary Islands, to the needy in her home country. She donated €3500 for losing in the semi-finals.

Football Olimpija expressed its sympathy after the tragedy, and the club will donate all the proceeds from its home match against Domžale to the victims of the latest storm. The match was attended by 1 312 spectators. Celjani also donated all the proceeds from the tickets sold at the Conference League qualifier against Neman Grodno (2167 spectators).

Some of the athletes are also a "bridge" for aid between foreign clubs and Slovenia. For example, Slovenia's top table tennis player Darko Jorgić, together with his Saarbrücken club in Germany and with the help of partner Bank 1 Saar, set up a donation account to help flood victims in Slovenia.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meets and talks to Natasha Lačen and Tina Maze

Many athletes also helped in the devastated cities. Sports teams grabbed shovels and cleared debris and silt from homes, businesses, streets and roads, while others had to save their property, such as Olympian and former cross-country skier Nataša Lačen in her home town of Črna na Koroškem.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also visited the worst-affected town in Carinthia and promised Slovenia assistance from EU solidarity and other funds. In Črna, she met and spoke with Natasha Lačen and Tina Maze, multiple Olympic and World Champion in skiing.

It was in Črna that Klemen Pušnik, organiser of the popular K24 Ultra trail race, said that after the cancellation of the event, the vast majority of the 580 registered runners from 20 countries had waived their registration fees, which would otherwise have been carried over to 2024, and donated them to those affected in Črna.

Source: Sta