Deaf football becomes global event, Bangladesh neglects it
Iftu Ahmed | Sunday, 20 July 2008
ALTHOUGH deaf football championships are taking place globally, Bangladesh is neglecting the event for deaf women and men.
Deaf sports is gradually gaining ground across the world. World Deaf Athletics (track and field), badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, bowling, cross country, cycling, futsal (an indoor version of association football), golf, handball, ice hockey, swimming, summer deaflympics (deaf Olympic games), volleyball, winter deaflypics, wrestling, tennis and table tennis championships are among prestigious international deaf sports events. The question is where Bangladesh stands in all these events?
Recently, the first ever men's and women's World Deaf Football Championships took place from July 2 to 12, 2008, in Patras, the beautiful city of Greece.
Teams of 15 countries, Australia, China, England, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, the USA and Venezuela took part. The tournament was split into four groups with quarter finals, semi-finals and final.
In the final match, Germany and Turkey drew 3-3, and Germany won the title of first Men's World Deaf Football Championship defeating Turkey 5-3 in the penalty shootouts.
The list of standings was Germany (1st), Turkey (2nd), France (3rd), the USA (4th), Greece (5th), Ireland (6th), Russia (7th), Italy (8th), Ukraine (9th), Thailand (10th), England (11th), the Netherlands (12th), Australia (13th), China (14th) and Venezuela (15th).
From Asia, Thai deaf team earned the 10th place and its footballer T. Somsak was the highest scorer, with 11 goals to his credit. There are many Asian Deaf Football Teams, and if they all participated, the first Men's World Deaf Football Championship would be more and competitive.
England, Germany, Greece, Russia and South Africa alone sent their teams to the first ever Women's World Deaf Football Championship. In the final game, Russia defeated Germany 1-0 to lift the championship. In the list of standings Russia was (1st), Germany (2nd), England (3rd), South Africa (4th) and Greece (5th).
A. Shoerer, the German deaf woman footballer who scored 22 goals was the highest scorer.
Germans, one of the most powerful nations in the soccer world, earned 1st place in Men's and 2nd place in Women's World Deaf Football championships. The Women's Asian Deaf Football is yet to grow significantly. It is time to work on Women's Asian Deaf Football.
In 2012, the second Men's and Women's World Deaf Football Championships will be held. The championships will take place every four-year.
In this backdrop, it was unfortunate that the Bangladesh Football Federation, after its recent election, did not include Deaf Football Committee in its Standing Committee, to promote deaf football in the country. Bangladesh Deaf Sports Association is an affiliated association of the Ministry of Youth and Sports just like the Bangladesh Women's Sports Association.
The development of Bangladesh football means the development of entire football community. If Thailand can secure 10th place and its deaf footballer can score the highest goals in the first Men's World Deaf Football Championship, why can't Bangladesh deaf football team do it through training, service and perseverance. Let them develop their football to reach their full potential by including Deaf Football Committee in BFF's Standing Committee.
The writer is a Bangladesh-born U.S. citizen. Despite deafness, Ahmed represented for the runner-up Mymensingh District Team in the First National Youth Football Championship of Bangladesh. He played for Mohammedan Sporting Club and Panditpara Athletic Club in the First Division Football League of Mymensingh district. During his student days, Ahmed played inter-school football for Mymensingh Zilla School and inter-college football for Ananda Mohan University College, Mymensingh. In the United States, Ahmed served as a soccer coach, referee and official for Champaign and Urbana Park Districts, and Aurora Family YMCA, in the state of Illinois. Dr. Bobbie Beth Scoggins, the then President of United States of America Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF) offered Ahmed to serve with the USADSF Ad Hoc Soccer Committee. Besides, Ahmed was champion in tennis, table tennis, volleyball and basketball at the hearing Impaired Sports Tournaments hosted by Northern Illinois University. Ahmed has been working for more than 17 years as a full-time associate of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., USA. He is the only son of the late Illias Uddin Ahmed (1926-1987), a sports legend of Bangladesh. Ahmed is married and has two sons. He lives in Illinois, USA, and can be reached at email: iftuahmed@sbcglobal.net
Deaf sports is gradually gaining ground across the world. World Deaf Athletics (track and field), badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, bowling, cross country, cycling, futsal (an indoor version of association football), golf, handball, ice hockey, swimming, summer deaflympics (deaf Olympic games), volleyball, winter deaflypics, wrestling, tennis and table tennis championships are among prestigious international deaf sports events. The question is where Bangladesh stands in all these events?
Recently, the first ever men's and women's World Deaf Football Championships took place from July 2 to 12, 2008, in Patras, the beautiful city of Greece.
Teams of 15 countries, Australia, China, England, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, the USA and Venezuela took part. The tournament was split into four groups with quarter finals, semi-finals and final.
In the final match, Germany and Turkey drew 3-3, and Germany won the title of first Men's World Deaf Football Championship defeating Turkey 5-3 in the penalty shootouts.
The list of standings was Germany (1st), Turkey (2nd), France (3rd), the USA (4th), Greece (5th), Ireland (6th), Russia (7th), Italy (8th), Ukraine (9th), Thailand (10th), England (11th), the Netherlands (12th), Australia (13th), China (14th) and Venezuela (15th).
From Asia, Thai deaf team earned the 10th place and its footballer T. Somsak was the highest scorer, with 11 goals to his credit. There are many Asian Deaf Football Teams, and if they all participated, the first Men's World Deaf Football Championship would be more and competitive.
England, Germany, Greece, Russia and South Africa alone sent their teams to the first ever Women's World Deaf Football Championship. In the final game, Russia defeated Germany 1-0 to lift the championship. In the list of standings Russia was (1st), Germany (2nd), England (3rd), South Africa (4th) and Greece (5th).
A. Shoerer, the German deaf woman footballer who scored 22 goals was the highest scorer.
Germans, one of the most powerful nations in the soccer world, earned 1st place in Men's and 2nd place in Women's World Deaf Football championships. The Women's Asian Deaf Football is yet to grow significantly. It is time to work on Women's Asian Deaf Football.
In 2012, the second Men's and Women's World Deaf Football Championships will be held. The championships will take place every four-year.
In this backdrop, it was unfortunate that the Bangladesh Football Federation, after its recent election, did not include Deaf Football Committee in its Standing Committee, to promote deaf football in the country. Bangladesh Deaf Sports Association is an affiliated association of the Ministry of Youth and Sports just like the Bangladesh Women's Sports Association.
The development of Bangladesh football means the development of entire football community. If Thailand can secure 10th place and its deaf footballer can score the highest goals in the first Men's World Deaf Football Championship, why can't Bangladesh deaf football team do it through training, service and perseverance. Let them develop their football to reach their full potential by including Deaf Football Committee in BFF's Standing Committee.
The writer is a Bangladesh-born U.S. citizen. Despite deafness, Ahmed represented for the runner-up Mymensingh District Team in the First National Youth Football Championship of Bangladesh. He played for Mohammedan Sporting Club and Panditpara Athletic Club in the First Division Football League of Mymensingh district. During his student days, Ahmed played inter-school football for Mymensingh Zilla School and inter-college football for Ananda Mohan University College, Mymensingh. In the United States, Ahmed served as a soccer coach, referee and official for Champaign and Urbana Park Districts, and Aurora Family YMCA, in the state of Illinois. Dr. Bobbie Beth Scoggins, the then President of United States of America Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF) offered Ahmed to serve with the USADSF Ad Hoc Soccer Committee. Besides, Ahmed was champion in tennis, table tennis, volleyball and basketball at the hearing Impaired Sports Tournaments hosted by Northern Illinois University. Ahmed has been working for more than 17 years as a full-time associate of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., USA. He is the only son of the late Illias Uddin Ahmed (1926-1987), a sports legend of Bangladesh. Ahmed is married and has two sons. He lives in Illinois, USA, and can be reached at email: iftuahmed@sbcglobal.net