Courtesy: The Malay Mail


Get the ball rolling

Blind futsal players need more local support

by Faizal Nor Izham

KUALA LUMPUR: For the past three years, an enthusiastic group of blind people have been meeting regularly at the Bangsar Sports Complex to play B1 futsal or indoor soccer for the totally blind.

They are so passionate about it they pool their own resources and pay RM40 per hour for their training sessions.

The Malaysian B1 team was formed under the aegis of the Malaysian Association of the Blind and their efforts have paid off as they took part in the 2009 Asian B1 Championship in Tokyo, organised once every two years by the International Blind Sports Federation.

And it was in Tokyo that they met Sunny Shalesh, who runs the Individual Mentally Challenged Training Centre for Children with Special Needs based in USJ4 in Subang Jaya, Selangor. Since then, Sunny, 41, has taken the B1 team under his wing and is now their unofficial coach.

"Our aim is to develop a B1 league of our own so we can nurture local talent in this sport," Sunny told The Malay Mail.

"However, we need sponsorship of facilities and equipment, transport and logistics."

"Special side-boardings are also necessary, as playing in fenced courts can be hazardous," said Sunny, adding side-boardings can cost up to RM20,000.

B1 futsal also requires a quiet venue so coaches and team assistants can help guide the players from the sidelines.

"For example, there will be people positioned behind the goal posts to give the players a sense of shooting direction and to warn them about fences. For this, we need indoor courts with good acoustics."

China, Japan, South Korea and Iran have fully-developed B1 teams, while Uganda, Nigeria and Uzbekistan have fully-developed amputee teams. The reigning international champions in both the blind and amputee categories are Brazil.

Future plans for the Malaysian B1 team include a central-interstate league to be held over three days next year. Friendly matches against teams from neighbouring Singapore and Thailand are also in the works.


Hopes of the B1 team members

FAIZUL GHANI, a member of the Malaysian B1 team of blind futsal players, believes with the right kind of assistance, the team can achieve much more.

"My teammates and I have long-term ambitions to improve Malaysia's worldranking in this sport," said Faizul, 31, an alternative medical practitioner from Ampang.

"We save our own money for training sessions without any support from the local sports authorities but we could achieve more if the right kind of assistance was given to us."

Faizal, blind since birth, said he took an interest in futsal during his school years.

"My teammates and I sacrifice a lot to pursue our passion for futsal but we cannot neglect our normal work too," he said.

"Whenever we play, some of us will suffer minor injuries. During the 2009 B1 Championship in Japan, one of our injured players was treated by a doctor from China as we did not have our own medical staff."

Another B1 team member, 26-year-old Mazwan Shakri, said they sometimes do not have enough participants.

"It would help if the Malaysian Paralympic Council offered support," said Mazwan, a massage therapist based in Brickfields.

"There is a need to create greater local awareness of B1 futsal to get more blind people to take part."





Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com