The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports through the Para-Athletics Federation of Nigeria, has concluded arrangements for setting up of the National blind football team, which would also be known as Star Eagles.
National President of Para-Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Dr. Geoffrey Ogu, who made this known at the Nnamdi Azikiwe sports stadium Enugu, during a 4 -day national blind football trial, hosted by BINA Foundation in Enugu, said that his association wanted to raise a national blind football team ahead of the 2020 Olympics games in Tokyo, Japan.
Daily Trust gathered that “BINA Foundation” is an Enugu-based multi-national pharmaceutical company with a department that caters for people with special needs, including the blind.
The 4-day national trial attended by blind footballers from various parts Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, ended on Sunday.
Also, the Foundation was chosen by the Federation to host the trials because it has an existing blind football team and relevant facilities for the special game, Ogu said.
”Para sports has been one of the strong sports in the country, and globally, as many of the Para-Athletes have done the country proud with gold, silver and bronze in several national and international competitions.
”The Tokyo 2020 will be the maiden edition of the blind football competition in Olympic event, and we want to go there with a strong team to make history,” according to Ogu .
In her keynote address, founder and president of Bina foundation, Ifeoma Atuegwu, said that the the organization has trained over 150 blind and virtual impaired persons in football.
Represented by the foundation project facilitator, Chikwendu Amobi, the founder, stated that the trial was in line with the nation’s vision of producing a national team for the 2020 Olympics.
One of the goal scorer in the trial match played at the occasion, Gabriel Igho said he was happy for taking part in the trail and scoring a goal for his side.
”I feel elated that I scored but not by my own making because the goal came from our team work and thank God we pulled out a draw,” Igho said.
