The first cerebral palsy football team was formed during the World Cerebral Palsy Day 2019 when new formed CP team played an exhibition match against a team formed with former national footballers at the BFF Turf in capital’s Arambagh yesterday.
Former national booters like Alfaz Ahmed, Imtiaz Ahmed Nakib, Jalal Ahmed, Belal Ahmed, Biplob Bhattacharjee played a 30-minute game against CP team comprise of Saimon, Ashraf, Rocky, Shamim, Jahid, Imran and Sohel. The game ended on 1-1.
Sohel Rana, a defender who plays for City Club in the 2nd division despite physical disability, was among the champion team’s members during the Saff U-16 Championship 2016 and played three matches. The 17-year-old with congenital hand deformities dreams to play in the Bangladesh Premier League and national team one day.
Saimon Islam, played as midfielder, hoped that the national CP football team would be formed and represents the country in international meets. He said, “Everybody neglects us due to our physical disability. CP football is an opportunity for us to prove them wrong. I used to watch their games against whom we played today. It really inspired us today.”
Bangladesh Football Federation president Kazi Salahuddin was present on the occasion as chief guest. The event was organized by Ardrid, a non-profit organization who worked for physically disabled people, and Sports and Cultural Society of Disabled.
According to Wikipedia, Cerebral Palsy is a group of permanent movement disorders that appear in early childhood