The Covid-19 crisis and confinement are an opportunity for athletes to show their support in an original way. This is the case of handball player Cyril Dumoulin, who explains on Europe 1 how he launched a large solidarity sale, the entire profits of which are donated to healthcare staff.

INTERVIEW

Everything started from handball player Cyril Dumoulin's garage and the sudden need for a large, confined spring cleaning, in the midst of a coronavirus crisis. "We don't really know how to take care of it, and there I realized that I had put a lot of clothes aside. We discussed it with my wife and my friends, I discussed it with fellow players. Other sportsmen and journalists have made their network work. " This is how #sportaidons (or sport and donations, editor's note) was born on the handball player's website, but also on social networks.

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Already 60,000 euros in donations for nursing staff

The initiative quickly toured the Nantes region and did not even end up crossing the banks of the Erdre. "I did not think that it was going to take on such a scale, I thought of uniting France of handball and still", recalls to the microphone Europe 1 Cyril Dumoulin. "When I saw around Nantes a lot of footballers, basketball players and tennis players showing up, it came out of handball, there was a double effect. Each sportsman after making a donation, brought me one or two other sportsmen. We ended up with a monstrous collection. "

In total, more than 150 pieces sold for a good cause with collector items, such as swimsuits or even the Raynald Denoueix medal. Players from FC Nantes, yesterday and today, from Olympique de Marseille, also contributed. There are also, of course, articles from handballers and handballers, but also rugby with a Stade Français jersey, or the yellow jersey of cyclist Thomas Voeckler.

✊ Solidarity auction ✊
The legend Maxime Bossis entrusts us with his jersey worn during the final of the 1983 Coupe de France between the @FCNantes and the @PSG_inside To participate in the sale, it's here ⬇️⬇️https: //t.co/nTJ7HjWWfT
Thank you Maxime !!! # sportaidonspic.twitter.com/hCWiOROFpl

- Cyril Dumoulin (@CyrilDumoulin) April 10, 2020

More than 60,000 euros have already been collected for healthcare staff. At first for the CHU of Nantes, but the donations pouring in, Cyril Dumoulin decided to expand by paying to the French hospital federation. "It is this desire to feel useful in this period, because sport no longer has its place, it is something secondary. It gives us the impression of being able to serve."