The Indian Super League Club Kerala Blasters have made a major announcement towards making contributions towards victims of Wayanad landslide. Taking to X (Formerly Twitter), Blasters announced, "Club Management met with Hon'ble Chief Minster today to extend a formal invitation for the upcoming season and present a cheque of ₹25 Lakhs as donation towards the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF).
Additionally, the 'Goal for Wayanad' campaign was launched with the Club committing to further contribute ₹1 Lakh for every goal the team scores in the upcoming ISL season. This initiative aims to provide much-needed support to those affected by the disasters, while also rallying the football community to unite for a meaningful cause.
The co-owners of KBFC had already contributed ₹1.25 crore to CMDRF to support the cause of Wayanad. The statement from the club stating club chairman Nimmagadda Prasad said “We at Kerala Blasters FC have always prioritised the well-being of our community and remain dedicated to supporting the state during challenging times,".
Previously, during the Covid-19 period, Kerala Blasters had donated 10,000 N95 masks to the state government and 500,000 Hydroxychloroquine Sulphate 200mg tablets to support frontline workers.
Wayanad in Kerala witnessed India’s worst-ever landslide on July 30,2024. The scale of destruction was unimaginable, with over 231 people confirmed dead, while body parts of 218 others have been recovered.
Kereala Blasters reject Mario Balotelli
Former Manchester City forward Mario Balotelli's move to Kerala Blasters ended afterthe club decided against singing him for the ISL 2023/24 season. Balotelli is currently a free agent after his contract with Turkey’s Adana Demirspor recently expired.
Last season, Balotelli only played 16 matches for Adana Demirspor, and was sidelined due to a knee injury for most part of the season.
According to a report in the Times of India, Kerala Blasters have decided to turn down a move to sign Balotelli owing to his poor recent form as well as disciplinary issues.