ANGOLA, 2018 WORLD FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS OF THE AMPUTATED.

Hello steemians, this is a content i wrote on my blog on scorum today. I thought it wise to share it here as well. In case you have not heard about the platform, please click on the link and have yourself a feel of the wonderful platform.

While we are busy concentrating and directing our energies mainly on contents that have to do with regular sports, other not so regular but important sporting events have come and gone silently without receiving the kind of attention that should ordinarily be accorded it. I think it will be proper if not wise to, now and again bring to the fore, other forms of sports such as the sports for athletes with 'physical disabilities'. The only content creator i can remember who has written about such as I am referring to, is @mikey, when he blogged about wheelchair tennis some couple of months back.

The news that has not received the desired publicity on this platform and on other news media is that Angola became the first nation in Africa to win the Amputated 2018 Football World Cup since the international tournament started in 1984.. The competition was held in the region of Guadalajara, Mexico, South America. The tournament commenced on the 24th Oct. and ended on 5th Nov. 2018, with the African nation emerging the winner after beating Turkey 5:4 in the finals.

Angola won the match on Sunday by penalty shootout when the regulation time elapsed nor was the deadlock broken during extra time which ended 0:0. This lead both teams to looking for goals at the penalty spot kick which went in favor of the African team winning 5:4.

It wasn’t an easy feat for the Angolan team to defeat a European giant as Turkey to say the least. To put Angola’s victory into proper perspective, it should be known that Turkey was able to defeat the world cup defending champions Russia in the quarter finals, and the host team Mexico in the semi finals. In addition, Turkey is the current European amputated champions which it won last year. For this reason, the African team needs and should demand proper recompense for this victory beyond the conventional so called “Presidential handshake” typical of what obtains in some African countries.

Two other African teams that participated in the competition are Kenya and Nigeria. The two African countries did not attain the successes that Angola was able to achieve. This is so because Angola has had more experience than the other two, being the runners up of the tournament in 2014. Nigeria was eliminated in the first round having been defeated by Brazil and Russia. While Kenya was able to reach the round of sixteen only to be eliminated by the defending champions Russia.

Ghana and Liberia are among the world cup qualifiers in Africa; however, they were unable to attend due to paucity of funds. Their countries could not raise funds to cover the teams travel expenses and the upkeep of the players in Mexico. This is not the first time African teams will not be able to participate in the tournament for lack of fund. Nigeria for example, was able to escape to Mexico by “the thread of it's teeth” when it organized ‘crowd funding’ to raise money for the tournament after it became obvious that nothing was forthcoming from neither the federal government nor other state governments across the country. It took the intervention of the National teams Super Eagle players and other philanthropists who are sports enthusiasts to make their participation a reality.

I congratulate the Angolan team for its sporting tenacity over the years which have subsequently paid off in 2018. They may not have received the needed fanfare and accolades at the moment; but i pray that the government will have the presence of mind to see to it that the handicapped players are properly encouraged monetarily and otherwise for a job well done. I am sure if this is done, it will further encourage the teeming handicapped youngsters who are roaming streets begging for alms into sports of as a getaway from painful disability into gainful ability.

ALL IMAGES ARE GOOGLE SOURCED.

Thank you as usual for stopping by. Sincerely @izge.