Mary posted on February 28, 2011 15:18
Kuala Lumpur, February. 20, 2011: Malaysia’s 1st Disability Football Tournament was held at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur with 10 teams of teens with learning disabilities competing against one another in a round robin format.
The tournament was part of the Challenges Disability Football Carnival 2011, an event to create public awareness about disability football.
The medal presentation was graced by guest of honour Datin Nafesah Raja Nong Chik, wife of Federal Territories and Urban Well-being Minister.
Organising chairperson Mary Chen said the event was created to enable persons with learning disabilities to experience the fun and excitement of playing in a tournament of their own, with friends and supporters cheering them on.
She added that we are indeed privileged to have the support of Datin Nafesah who had given her support and attention to the disability football project from the start. It was a great moral boost to the special needs teens, their parents and service providers to have Datin Nafesah spend time with them and presented the medals and certificates to the footballers.
The Champion Men’s team was from Persatuan Kanak-Kanak Istimewa Kajang, the Champion women’s team was from Rumah Amal Cheshire Selangor. They received two free tickets each to the EPL Master Football Malaysia Cup 2011 to be held next month and Sushi King vouchers worth RM100. The male top scorer was Jared Charles who scored 9 goals during the two day tournament while female top scorer was Nur Norliyana bt Suria who scored 23 goals. They received 2 EPL ticketets each to the EPL Master Football Malaysia Cup 2011 and Imperial Chakri Palace KLCC food vouchers worth RM100 each.
Co-organising chairperson Datin Paduka Khatijah Suleiman added that it was a beautiful sight to see the young people playing their hearts out in a tournament that was created specially for them.
Having the event at Dataran Merdeka also brought them many foreign spectators, so the footballers had supporters cheering them from countries such as Japan, India, Europe, USA, Korea, China and UK.
Football related skills games, booths by NGOs and music performance were some of the other activities available at the two day carnival.
Challenges hopes to organise thie carnival yearly and to establish a local league for teens with learning disabilities in the near future to enable them enjoy this universal sport.
Chen said that there is actually a well established footballers with disabilities network globally and it is time that Malaysians with disabilities are nurtured to be able to participate in such international games as the World Cup for Footballers with Learning Disabilities.
Challenges Disability Football Carnival 2011 is made possible with the support of the Ministry of Federal Territories and Urban Well Being, Program Semai Bakti and Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur as well as volunteers such as students from the Universiti Malaysia Sports Centre, and coaches from Special Olympics Selangor.
About Organiser, Challenges
Challenges, Malaysia's 1st and only national disability magazine for persons with disabilities, their families, care and service providers, public agencies, educators, employers and the general public is a media platform to promote disability awareness and advocacy
Our Co-organisers for this event are
Rumah Amal Cheshire Selangor was established in 1963 to serve the needs of disabled people in the community. Their mission is to enable disaled people to improve their quality of life and to campaign for the removal of the barriers which hinder them.
Liverbird Football Club is a sports club dedicated to promoting football in the country, registered with the National Sports Commission.
Our Partners include:
Malaysian Council for Rehabilitation
Family Support Grouop for Persons with Learning Difficulties (PERKOBP)
Persatuan Kanak-kanak Istimewa Kajang,(PKIK)
Special Olympics Selangor, (SOSelangor)
Kelab Rekreasi 96ers
This event is supported by
Ministry of Federal Territories and Urban Well being
Program Semai Bakti
DBKL
Ministry of Youth and Sports
JPOKU/JKM
Our sponsors include:
100 Plus
Lancast
Football Focus Asia
Nestle /Milo
Sushi King
Imperial Chakri Palace KLCC
For information, contact Mary Chen at 013-6011515 or email: mary@challengesmag.com.