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Chelsea FC match raises $4 million to tackle antisemitism and discrimination

Beneficiaries include the CST and the Tree of Life synagogue, where 11 worshippers died in a mass shooting last year

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Money raised from a charity match between Chelsea FC and American side New England Revolution have been distributed to organisations dedicated to combatting antisemitism.

A total of 16 beneficiaries from the ‘Final Whistle on Hate’ charity match were announced and included, among others, the Community Security Trust, the Holocaust Educational Trust, anti-racism campaigners Kick It Out and US antisemitism watchdog the Anti-Defamation League.

Around 25,000 people attended the game, which took place in May at New England Revolution's home ground in Massachusetts.

The match, which raised an estimated $4 million, was initially proposed in November 2018 by Roman Abramovich and Robert Kraft, the owners of Chelsea and New England respectively, in response to a global rise in antisemitism and after mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh the month before.

The shul itself received funds also “to help with efforts to rebuild the synagogue” following the antisemitic attack in which 11 worshippers died.

Mr Abramovich and the Kraft family each also donated $1 million to the cause.

In a joint statement, Chelsea and New England Revolution celebrated “the power of sport in bringing people together to tackle hate and prejudice in all its forms”.

CST tweeted that they were “delighted to have been chosen as one of the recipients for the proceeds.”

Chelsea said the money for CST would go on "social media work to combat antisemitism by monitoring and challenging the dissemination and propagation of antisemitic material online".

Speaking to CNN shortly after the game, Mr Kraft said: “We (Mr Kraft and Mr Abramovich) chatted about mutual interests and using sport to build bridges and what has gone in the area of anti-Semitism has been very disturbing for both of us.

“When we saw this event happen in Pittsburgh we mutually wanted to do something to show our respect and concern and so it was really magnanimous of him (Mr Abramovich) to bring his team here.”

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