Charity MVPs: How Athletes are Using Their Influence to Make a Difference.

With a growing number of athlete philanthropists, some have taken the next step and started their own foundations or charitable organizations. This trend has been seen in the US and other countries, where athletes are using their influence and resources to make a difference.

It's a combination of factors that brings up this reality:

One major factor is the increased visibility and influence of professional athletes in recent years. With the growth of social media and 24-hour sports coverage, athletes have become more prominent figures in popular culture and have a larger platform to raise awareness for causes they care about.

Another factor is the financial success and high earning potential of many professional athletes. With significant wealth and resources at their disposal, many athletes choose to use their money to make a positive impact in their communities through philanthropy.

Additionally, many athletes have personal experiences or connections to social issues, such as poverty, education, or health, that inspire them to take action and give back.

Finally, the increase of athlete-led foundations and charitable organizations can also be seen as a response to the growing public expectation of corporations and celebrities to give back to the community and contribute to social good.

Overall, the rise of athlete-led foundations and charitable organizations reflects a growing trend of athletes using their platform and resources to make a positive impact on society, and is a powerful tool for athletes to effect change in the communities they care about.

There are many different foundations that have been created by professional athletes to support various causes. Here are a few examples:

Luis Figo Foundation, founded by the retired Portuguese professional footballer Figo, contributes to the improvement of living conditions and the creation of opportunities for the most disadvantaged children and young people. Whether they are in this condition due to illness, with or without disabilities, social exclusion or due to their socio-economic situation.

The Virat Kohli Foundation, founded by cricketer player Virat Kohli, focuses to empower underprivileged children by providing education and healthcare, it also focuses on supporting the development of sports in India, specifically cricket, and to create opportunities for children and young people to access sports as a means of personal development and social change.

The Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, founded by NBA player Dikembe Mutombo, focuses on improving healthcare, education, and economic development in his native country of Congo.

There are so many other examples, but I'll explore them in a future post.