By Maurice Okafor, Enugu
The blind can also play football. The trend which is obtainable in civilized countries is gradually being developed in Africa. Nigeria is queuing up among the African countries which have imbibed the culture of developing sporting activities especially football, courtesy of the efforts of an Enugu-based but internationally recognised non-governmental organization(NGO), known as the Bina Foundation, with a particular focus on training People with special needs to acquire skills through which they can fend for themselves.
Bina Foundation has added sporting activities as part of the efforts to reintegrate people with special needs into society and a sense of belonging, In addition, has groomed Male and Female national football teams known as ‘Star Eagles National Football team(, Male) and Star Falcons National team(female).
The latest update of both teams who have their camping and training base in Enugu, with financial support from Sir Prince Chris Atuegwu, the Chairman Board of Directors, Bina Foundation, who is also the CEO/Managing Director, Michelle Laboratories Ltd, Enugu is that they will participate in the African blind football competition to hosted by Morocco, as from September 13.
The President/Founder of the organisation, Lady Pharmacist Ifeoma Atuegwu disclosed that the foundation initiated the idea of sports engagement for the disabled when she found out that sports activities arouse their interest and the fact that the foundation is doing all the possible best to nurture them into gaining a real sense of belonging in the society, the sports section of Bina Foundation was established in the past five years or thereabout.
However, in the search for the best of talents, the Bina foundation extended and expanded its scope to all organisations catering for the blind in different parts of the country, with a success story that both teams(Male and Female) can compete favourably, at international soccer events for the blind.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian blind teams packaged and trained by the foundation participated in the 2019 edition of the African Blind Football competition held in Enugu, Nigeria, with a kick-off by former Super Eagles Coach, Gernot Rohr, at Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium. About Nine African countries Cameroun, Ghana, Egypt Cote d’Ivoire, and Morocco blind teams who are the current champions in Africa, played in 2019.
Presently, Bina Foundation has left no stone unturned in ensuring that Nigeria Blind National teams live up to expectations in the Morocco competition. The Foundation has taken the cost to bring down a world recognised blind football Coach, Mr Trussiant Apkweh, based in France to have engaged the Nigerian blind teams in several training sections, at the gymnasium section, otherwise call the Indoor Sports hall of Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium.
The game of blind football involves five players per team of which only the goalkeeper is visually sound. The other four members of a team must be visually impaired. To ensure that the players are not partially visual impaired, tick synthetic gadgets are further used to blind their eyes before they move into the field.
The ball they use for the soccer event is designed with a special nut inside it that makes a hissing noise while in motion. To that extent, the attention of the players is drawn to the direction of the ball by such hissing noise at any point in time in the field of play. The players struggle for the ball so as to score against their opponents. The players equally take instructions on the position and direction of the ball, from their guide/Coaches, who stroll by the side of the pitch, through the time of play.
The Referee just like in a normal football competition among able-bodied persons officiates and penalizes all forms of rough play. The side which scores the highest number of goals against the opponents usually becomes the winner. The timing of a blind football contest, takes less than forty minutes, With either 15 minutes or twenty minutes per half.
Expectations that Blind Football if fully developed in Nigeria will be another avenue of engaging and creating opportunities for the visually impaired in Nigeria to excel in their talents in the outside world, while creating employment for thousands of unemployed Youths and the talented blind in our society, looking for exposure.
