Music

After PR Olympic Committee Can’t Fund Table Tennis Players’ Trip to Tournament, Daddy Yankee Steps In

Lead Photo: Photo by Jason Koerner/One Voice: Somos Live!/Getty Images
Photo by Jason Koerner/One Voice: Somos Live!/Getty Images
Read more

Ever since he became the face of reggaeton, Puerto Rican legend Daddy Yankee has tried to use his platform to give back to his community. He supported relief efforts last year in the aftermath of Hurricane María, and recently partnered with the Susen G. Komen Foundation to raise awareness about breast cancer. His latest cause is supporting two of Puerto Rico’s top athletes: sisters Adriana and Melanie Díaz.

According to Metro PR, the reggaeton star has agreed to sponsor the table tennis players’ flights – along with their coach’s airfare – so they can compete in the Table Tennis Open in Sweden and Austria. The outlet reports that the sisters were unable to participate in tournaments sponsored by the International Table Tennis Federation since they could not afford the costly airfare, so their coach was forced to cancel their trip to Europe. Typically, the Olympic Committee of Puerto Rico would pay for athletes to compete in these tournaments, but given the debt crisis that has devastated the Caribbean island, the organization was unable to fund their flights.

With their participation in the European tournament, the Díaz sisters will be able to accumulate points and rise in the global table tennis rankings. Adriana is currently ranked at no. 44 in the world.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlpF-4jlH5L/?taken-by=diazadriana123

H/T: Metro PR