Soccer, tennis, cricket, rugby, racing - sport puts its hand up to help

From soccer giants Manchester United to glamorous tennis star Maria Sharapova, the sporting world has united to help raise money for victims of Asia's tsunami disaster.

The English premier soccer league has pledged £1 million ($2.7 million). The top 20 clubs, including Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea, will contribute at least £50,000 each.

Everton, which has close links with Thailand, and other clubs have started their own funds, and the league said that a minute's silence would be observed at this weekend's games.

"The premier league and our clubs have strong connections throughout the region and there was a real feeling among the clubs that we should do something to try to alleviate some of the pain and suffering," premier league chief executive Richard Scudamore said.

The cricketing world has also joined forces to raise money.

India and Sri Lanka, two of the sport's leading playing nations, were devastated by the tsunami.

The International Cricket Council is planning a match between an Asian XI and the Rest of the World to raise money.

"Although the logistics behind this effort are complicated, the ICC is trying to get the cricket nations to rally and raise funds for a major humanitarian cause," Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan said.

The Australian team donated the prizemoney from their second test win over Pakistan this week.

The England and South Africa cricket teams held an impromptu fundraising party yesterday after the second test in Durban.

Autographed players' shirts, bar takings and entrance fees to the party went to charity.

Russia's Wimbledon tennis champion Maria Sharapova, who was in Bangkok for an exhibition match, gave US$10,000 ($14,090) to Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday.

The Association of Tennis Professionals, the governing body of the men's professional tennis, will hold fundraising activities during next week's Chennai Open in India.

The ATP said it would donate its $US25,000 fee for the tournament to Unicef and would hold a fundraising auction, offering autographed items including a shirt owned by defending champion and former world number one Carlos Moya.

Jonas Bjorkman and Mahesh Bhupathi, who are the top-seeded doubles team at the Chennai Open, said they would donate their prize money and urged other players to join them.

The International Rugby Board said it would make a donation to the UN World Food Programme and urged rugby players and supporters worldwide to support its work.

"Our hearts go out to the families of those who have died and who have family members still missing, and to those whose lives and livelihoods have been shattered by this terrible tragedy," IRB chairman Syd Millar said.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club gave US$250,000 and the International Olympic Committee expressed its condolences.

- REUTERS