Super League Catalans play for Ukrainian refugees this Saturday in Perpignan

To forget the disaster of the war, the time of a beautiful spring day, more than three hundred Ukrainians withdrawn in the Pyrénées-Orientales are invited this Saturday to the Gilbert Brutus stadium in Perpignan to attend the Super League rugby league match. between the Catalan Dragons and the Warrington wolves.

“We have planned to have them arrive very early in the afternoon so that they can chat a little because all are scattered in host families throughout the department”, explains Philippe Pidemunt, development manager of the Catalans Dragons. , runners-up in the Super League in 2021.

"At the Dragons, we are always attentive to the just causes to defend," he continues.

It is a permanent will of President Bernard Guasch.

We are therefore attentive to what is happening in Europe and totally in solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

They will be transported by one of our Vectalia partners who, like all our partners, played the game.”

Read alsoBehind the Catalan Dragons, Bernard Guasch, a boss in love with rugby

This operation was launched by Nicole Reuter, a Belgian living in Eus, who brought together a collective around her own association for mutual aid to the victims of the deadly floods in her country of origin and who multiplies the actions in favor of the Ukrainians of Roussillon.

“There are around 400 people who have found refuge in the department, plus those who have not gone through aid organizations like our partner Cataladon.

On the occasion of this match, we are organizing a raffle and the sale of t-shirts which will raise funds.

In Ukraine, the fighters notably lack fatigues, hiking-type shoes.

And civilians also still have needs,” explains Nicole Reuter, who works hand in hand with Alain Lateux, from the Cataladon association,

Read also"We don't turn on the news channels": Ukrainian Nila and her twins have found refuge near Perpignan

During Saturday's match (6:00 p.m.), thirty Ukrainian children will enter the lawn of Gilbert Brutus in the company of the players, including the rugby players of Warrington, who ironically play in blue and yellow, the colors of Ukraine.

The kick-off will be given by Cécile Hernandez, Paralympic champion and godmother of Cataladon.

As with every Super League match, a 13-second sequence of silence will be observed by the entire stadium.

The match is broadcast live on BeIN sports and on Skysport, a promise of large audiences in the Anglo-Saxon world.