The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other professional sports organizations are in contact with the Mexican Olympic Committee (COM) to provide financial support in wake of the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck across 200 miles of southern-central Mexico last Tuesday.
President of the IOC, Thomas Bach, has created a fund to support the victims of Mexico’s tragedy. This comes just two weeks after the IOC announced they were setting up a $1 million emergency fund to rebuild damaged buildings in the Caribbean after Hurricane Irma.
Other organizations that have pledged to donate to COM:
- Pan American Sports Organization
- Arizona Diamondbacks: an American Major League Baseball team
- Chicanos Foundation for the Cause: an organization that prepares Mexican-American athletes representing Mexico in international competitions
- Hiroshima Prefecture: is a “state” in Japan. They are donating $30,000 and will sponsor Mexican athletes in preparation camps for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Carlos Padilla Becerra, President of COM, has this to say about the help: “We will continue to open doors to receive the help of those who offer it to channel it to the most needy and people who go through this misfortune at the moment.”
While the Mexican Olympic Committee initially said that all athletes and facilities were safe, the organization’s headquarters have been temporarily closed so that they can undergo a structural review. Additionally, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has postponed the Para Swimming and Para Powerlifting World Championships due to these events being held in Mexico City. The new date of these World Championships is to be determined.
