Kolkata witnessed the first ever Blind Football Exhibition match between West Bengal and Kerala. Image : XtraTime[/caption]Kolkata : Parsee Club , Kolkata has become a part of a historic movement as West Bengal witnessed the first ever Blind Football Exhibition match between West Bengal and Kerala. More than the result that the home team breaks the jinx against Kerala by beating them in penalty-shootouts in their 5th attempt overall, it is the spirit which appeared to be the ultimate winner.
India started playing blind football from 2013, just 3 years back. Though Bengal never had any association or professional team, but they started playing from the year 2008. Since then, they have selected players in a scattered way. When leading football playing nations like Brazil, Spain, Argentina, Japan, England, Turkey have their Blind Football Associations, clubs, leagues and tournaments in their countries, India just has a single registered team and that too the national team.
When Brazil has 660 blind football clubs, Spain has 170 blind football clubs, India’s approach towards the game is extremely lackadaisical. A country which has 15 million people, among which 1.5 million are blind, doesn’t have any registered team apart from the national team. Despite everything, India is currently ranked 25th in world ranking. India coach Sunil J. Matthew too was expressing his grief,”The last time when the game was played in Kerala, players like Jeje, Sunil Chettri too played with the blind footballers by tying the eyes up. Believe me, they have great potentials. They just need the support to march ahead.”
Kerala’s NGO SRVC, is inviting all the football playing states of the country to form respective Blind Football Associations. After the match, India’s national team player Goutam Dey was telling about his inspirations, “I haven’t seen Ronaldo or Messi as I don’t have eyes. My heroes, my idols are my team mates, with whom I play. I can sense their breath, can smell their sweats and can listen their pulse; for a blind man, these are the only things you can have to choose your idol”, he smiles.
Suvendu Mahato, the youngest member of the Bengal team was ecstatic as he said, “We lost four times in a row against Kerala. As I took the last shot in the tie-breaker, it gives me a special relief. I’m delighted.”
A bunch of talents who don’t have the eyes to visualize the beautiful game, till the crescendo of enjoying the most popular sport on earth has brought them towards the football grounds. We love the game, we respect the players, they just need a combined support from all to showcase their talent to the universe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kCnk_bf_mA
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