Charity: 10 Generous Sports Personalities Who Help Ordinary People

In the media, we read about the success of the sports figures. How they have won this competition or that competition. People are crazy for them and their success and glamour. They earn a huge amount of money and they have luxurious lifestyles most of the time. Well- it is their money and they have earned it. However, some players try to give back something to the society- to the poor people. I have listed 10 such sports figures who love to help the ordinary people.

Roger Federer

Federer is the most dominant player in the men’s tennis now. This Swedish tennis great has already grabbed 9 Grand Slam single’s titles in his career. In his 8 years as a professional tennis player, he could earn $26,464,458 as prize money and set a good example of helping poor founding Roger Federer Foundation. This foundation aims at giving fund for the wellbeing of poor and deprived children. He tried to inspire tennis players to take initiative to help the people affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and he said that he wanted to play charity matches as many as possible to raise fund for the affected people. This year Federer became a Goodwill Ambassador to UNICEF.

Image Link: Roger Federer Foundation

Muhammad Ali

Ali is one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky in USA in 1942. His birth name was Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. which was changed after his changing religion to Muslim. In his career, Ali won 56 out of 61 matches and is 37 wins were by Knock Out. He could defeat all of the Heavyweight champions of that time and dominate the heavyweight boxing world in his time. With his success in the ring continues through his charitable activities too. After his retirement form the ring he devoted himself for the wellbeing of the poor. He travels over the world to alleviate poverty and hunger with his presence and inspires people to get into education and build a good interpersonal relationship among the people. He was honored as the “Sportsman of the Century” by Sports Illustrated in 1999.

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan is a big name not only in the Basketball history but in the world’s sports. This benevolent Basketball player is the most famous and valuable sports celebrity at present. In his 15 season NBA career he could maintain an average of 30.12 points in every match. This is a record for NBA history. He won six NBA championship and 10 scoring titles. He is also praised by others for his charitable works. He raises fund for the women and children. He also helps Boys and Girls club of America, UNCF college fund and Special Olympic. His image became the front cover of Sports Illustrated magazine for a record 49 times. ESPN named him the Greatest Athlete of the 20^th Century.

Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods is the most prominent Golfer at present time and his presence in the golf history is getting stronger with time. He is the highest paid athlete in the world. Moreover, he has already been marked as one of the greatest golfers of all time and now he is in the way of being Greatest in the history of Golf. His 12 PGA major championships are much closest to the jack Nicklaus’s 18 victories. Woods has already won 53 PGA Tour titles. He is the second player in the history of golf who has two Career Grand Slams. He has a great fame for his social activities with his father. He along with his father Earl founded The Tiger Woods Foundation in 1996. At first, this foundation focused on helping deprived children and later on this foundation aimed at introducing a University scholarship, character development program and Tiger Woods Learning Center. . In his debut year in professional golf in 1996, he was also named the ‘Sportsman of the Year’ by Sports illustrated.

Image Link: Tiger Woods Foundation

Maria Sharapova

This Russian tennis talent is the world number 4 at this time. Sharapova won the Wimbledon in 2004 which is the only grand slam for this 19 year old glamorous girl. She has already won 13 career titles in her short span of career. She is also the highest paid female athlete in the world. This teen age girls has already involved in social works. As a part of her social activities, she donated for the people affected by Tsunami and she also donated a large amount for the victims of the Beslan tragedy. In 2005, she was named ESPY Best Female Tennis Player.

Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong is a great cyclist. He got many successes in different tournaments. With his 7 Tour de France and one world championship, he became one of the notable cyclist in the history of Cycling. This benevolent American also became famous and got popularity setting up Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) which helps and inspires the cancer affected people. Providing advocacy to the cancer affected people, LAF helps them to live long. Armstrong was affected by cancer in 1996. The date was October 2. This 10/2 is celebrated by Nike and Armstrong with the 10/2 merchandise and from the sell of 10/2 merchandise one dollar is donated to the Lance Armstrong foundation. He cured after going thorough some surgeries and chemotherapy and returned to the track and again showed some of his master performances. In 1997, Armstrong together with Nike established the foundation. Under this foundation Livestrong wristband is used to inspire people and the meaning of this band is ‘Wear yellow live strong’. Sports Illustrated magazine awarded him as the sportsman of the year in2002. He got the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality award in 2003.

David Beckham

David Beckham is one of the most prominent footballers at present. This former England

Captain is currently playing for Real Madrid. He is very famous for his free kick and it is

said that he added an extra dimension to the art of free kick. He spent a major part of his career with his first club Manchester United. Out of the field he is involved in different charitable works. He organized "World Cup Party - Full Length and Fabulous" to raise fund for children. In addition, he supported UNICEF in various programs while he was in

Manchester United. It is noteworthy that, this great performer of the field also performed well being a goodwill ambassador of UNICEF focusing on UNICEF's Sports for Development Program.

Steve Waugh

Waugh was the former captain of Australian cricket team. This great batsman won world cup in 1999 while he was the captain of the team. He is the most successful captain of Australia. As a part of his charitable activities he helped a leper children’s institution titled “Udayan”. For this reason he frequently comes to India and he tries to raise fund for this institution. His autobiography titles ‘Out of My Comfort Zone’ was published in 2005. In 2004 he became the Australian of the Year.

Joey Cheek

Joey Cheek is a popular speed skater. This American could win the winter Olympic gold medal in 2006 in men’s 500 m category with an unofficial record for the 500m ice rink sea level. This champion skater donated the USOC Gold medal bonus of $25000 to a humanitarian organization named ‘Right to Play’. In that tournament he also won silver medal in 1000m and he also donated $15000, the prize money of this category to this institution which was founded by Johann Olav Koss, another Olympic champion. With his own contribution he also inspires his fellow skaters to donate for that organization.

Mia Hamm

Mia Hamm is the former captain of American national football team and she is one of the greatest footballers in the history of women’s football. She became Fifa World Player of the Year twice in 2001 and 2002. She won two world cup championships and two Olympic gold medals with the USA national team. In her 17 year long career she got many success in the field but her out of the field performances are also praiseworthy and creditable as her foundation named “Mia Hamm Foundation” tries to collect fund and increase awareness among the people about bone marrow disease and the foundation is also helping to young women providing different facilities to come in to sports. She is a real heroine.