The Asian Football Confederation on Tuesday lauded the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Indian footballers for their efforts in fighting against the global COVID-19 pandemic.

In its latest newsletter, the AFC has praised the member associations – including AIFF and the footballers – for making financial contributions and doing a “lot of social work to help the distressed in this hour of global crisis.”

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“The All India Football Federation (AIFF), the Guam Football Association (GFA), the J.League and the Wuhan Football Association have helped by giving donations, promoting public awareness messages and opening training centres to house medical teams,” AFC stated in a press release as quoted by PTI.

“…players from India – Pritam Kotal, Pronoy Halder, Prabir Das and Arindam Bhattacharjee – have contributed a combined total of Rs 145,000 to various charities and donated food, and organised feeding the poor programmes in the country,” the AFC said.

Other than the mentioned players, forward Jeje Lalpekhlua donated blood to the Synd Hospital in Durtlang, Mizoram after the hospital complained about blood shortage. Midfielder CK Vineeth has volunteered to join a government helpline centre in his hometown of Kannur in Kerala.

The governing body of AIFF has made a contribution of Rs 25 lakh to the PM CARES Fund, created to combat the crisis caused by the novel coronavirus in India. The deadly outbreak of the virus has already affected over ten thousand people and killed more than 300 in the country.

AIFF President Praful Patel, who is a FIFA Council and AFC Executive Committee Member, said, “…now is the time to pay our country back in whatever manner we can. We need to stand together and help each other overcome this crisis.

Also, in Asian governing body’s ‘Break The Chain’ campaign, talismanic India football captain Sunil Chhetri featured with the Chinese Football Association (CFA) vice- president Sun Wen, who is regarded as one of the greatest-ever international women footballers, and Myanmar captain Kyaw Zin Thet.

🔗 🔨 🌏 ⚽ India legend @chetrisunil11 🇮🇳 is among the latest of Asia’s biggest football stars to advise us to work together, #StayAtHome and #BreakTheChain in order to tackle Covid-19. #FootballCares

🎥 Watch 👇https://t.co/WMRUX6KrBb

— AFC (@theafcdotcom) March 29, 2020