Misbau Didi, the President of Para-soccer Federation of Nigeria (PFN), on Friday in Abuja said para-soccer is now facing the threat of losing its place in Nigeria to skate soccer.
He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that he found it alarming that para-soccer has been renamed by the International Federation of Soccer Skate (IFSS), which is based in Ghana.
Didi who claimed to have invented para-soccer about 29 years ago said skate soccer is an almost similar game recently evolving from Ghana, but with slight changes to para-soccer rules.
NAN reports that the game is played by sitting on a skate by survivors of poliomyelitis or other lower limb disabilities.
It involves throwing a ball and dribbling one another in an effort to score a goal by putting the ball in a goal post.
“I invented para-soccer along with other polio survivors in 1988 as a form of recreation and sport for polio survivors and it has become a medal-scoring event at Nigeria’s National Sports Festival.
“It was a surprise to see skate soccer being played in the same manner with para-soccer that we started 29 years ago, except for few changes in the rules of our game.
“The PFN, with the support of the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, has made significant efforts to get the game adopted as a global sport.
“However, the Nigeria Paralympics Committee (NPC) will present para-soccer game to the African Paralympics Committee (APC) in 2018 for recognition as a game, and it is expected to as well recommend to the International Paralympics Committee (IPC).
“Once that is achieved, para-soccer will become a global sport that originated from Nigeria, serving as a platform for people with lower limb disabilities to compete in a sport and keep fit.
“It is in the light of this that I urge the government and corporate bodies to do more in supporting the game to become a global sport ahead of skate soccer, to crown our efforts of over 29 years,’’ Didi said.
Didi added that Nigeria had introduced the game at the continental level during the 2003 All-Africa Games (AAG) in Abuja, when it was demonstrated to spectators at the stadium.
“The game has become a national sport since 1998 which led to the establishment of PFN in 2006 and it has been living up to expectations as a national sport,” he said.
The PFN president said further that the federation started a para-soccer league in the country in 2016.
“So far, teams from 25 states across the geo-political zones have been participating in it since then,” he said.
Didi said Nigeria and Ghana had recently played a friendly match in Lagos, with Nigeria winning 8-1, having lost 3-2 to Ghana away.
However, Monday Emoghavwe, the President of NPC, while speaking on the issue said para-soccer was getting closer to securing continental adoption.
“Para-soccer will soon become a continental sport, because it is gaining more popularity in the continent.
“Didi has really tried for the development of the game and by 2018, para-soccer and other para-games will be sponsored by a multinational company, which will further help their development,” he said.
NAN reports that IFSS is being sponsored by Binatone to develop the game in Ghana and beyond.(NAN)
