Translate The Content in Your Local Language

Wednesday 22 May 2013

Debutant blind team from Kerala returns as IBSA national runners-up : Kochi

First time entrant to blind football, Kerala's SRVC blind football team who emerged runners-up at the 8th IBSA National Blind Football Championships in New Delhi last week, arrived to a rousing welcome in Kochi on Monday. The team was felicitated by C C Jacob, former Indian footballer and coach and members of the Thevara Sacred Hearts Football Academy.

Kerala's team SRVC led by Maharaja's college's Renjith M. S consisted of seven players who were trained and mentored by coach Sunil J Mathew, secretary, SRVC. Chakshumathi's Naufal,     
    Maharaja's college's Thanseer, and Aneesh are the field players and Ajesh, the goal keeper. Other players include are Pramod and Ajeesh. The team is assisted by coach MV Rajan and Gireesh Kumar. For the team, the route to the final was with victories over teams from Delhi, Kolkata and Jodhpur.

Society for Rehabilitation of the Visually Challenged (SRVC) is an NGO based in Cochin which is actively involved in empowerment and welfare of visually impaired persons for the past 11 years.

Team captain Renjith M S who scored in all the matches prior to the final ending up with a head injury during a clash with a defender was the start of the team playing with the bandaged head in the finals, said Sunil Mathew, coach and project manager, SRVC.
  
Blind Football is similar to the popular futsal game and is a 5-a-side, and is adapted for athletes with visual impairments including blindness. The sport, governed by the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA), is played with modified FIFA rules. The field of play is smaller, and is surrounded by boards. Teams are reduced to five players, including the goalkeeper, per team. Teams may also use one guide, who is positioned off the field of play, to assist in directing players. The ball is equipped with a noise-making device to allow players to locate it by sound. Matches consist of two 25-minute halves, with a ten-minute break at half-time.

"In February 2013, when Indian national football team visited Cochin for a friendly match with Palestine, national captain Sunil Chettri, his colleagues Jewal raja and Nabbi played with SRVC's blind football team and national coach Wim Koverman had commented that Kerala's Team SRVC is a wonder and they will secure national championship without doubt. We almost reached there," he said.

The matches were played at the Blind Relief Association grounds, near Oberoi hotel, Nizammudin flyover, New Delhi between May 13-18.
 
Source : TOI , 21st May 2013 
   

No comments:

Post a Comment