Football team for young Iraqi amputees qualifies for the World Cup!
After losing an arm or a leg in the war against the terrorist organization ISIS that bloodied Iraq for years, a group of young people found a glimmer of hope in an amputee football team!
Team member Ali Kazem says, "I was playing for the Air Force Reserve, but I lost my leg and couldn't fulfill my ambition and was in a wheelchair at home. I am married and have four children and they are happy and support me, they bring my things and encourage me to go to training, My mental state has improved a lot."
The idea of establishing the team in Iraq was born to the young Muhammad Al-Najjar during his studies in the United Kingdom, where he discovered a team in Portsmouth for amputees.
When he returned to Iraq, he posted an advertisement for the team's creation on social media.
The young man lost his right leg in 2016 when he was a fighter in a local militia.
Al-Najjar, the founder of the team, says: "To restore the spirit to this segment, the segment of the wounded, has become our mission, and as we sacrificed before, we will sacrifice again in order to raise the name of Iraq in international forums."
The team includes more than thirty players, and was able to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for amputees, which will be held in Turkey at the end of 2022. A major obstacle remains before the team, which is the lack of official recognition, which deprives it of financial support.
Al-Najjar adds: "Until now, they have not found a solution for us to have an official recognition, even though our team represents Iraq and has achieved achievements. Unfortunately, we did not receive any local recognition so that we could request support. We also did not provide a budget from any government agency."
In securing equipment, sports clothing, and training requirements, the team usually relies on the aid of charitable organizations, and in its travels and foreign trips, it depends on aid.
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