First time in Nagaland, Blind Football demo/training camp on Feb 15 & 16

DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 10 (MExN): For the first time in Nagaland, a Blind Football Demo/Training Camp will be conducted at the Don Bosco Higher Secondary School Ground, Riverbelt Colony, Dimapur on February 15 and 16. 


The Nagaland State Disability Forum (NSDF) and Prodigals' Home (PH), Dimapur are the organizing partners in collaboration with the Indian Blind Football Federation (IBFF), informed a press release from the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Diethono Nakhro.


IBFF is an independent body affiliated with the Paralympic Committee of India and the Indian Blind Sports Association New Delhi and AIFF New Delhi. The Federation runs the country’s only full time Blind Football Academy at Kochi, Kerala.


The 2-day camp will comprise of training basic skills of the game to interested young B1 players (athletes who are totally or almost totally blind), as well as training session for coaches and referees on rules and regulations of the game and other coaching tips. A demo game with an invited team will be held on day-2 to conclude this first of its kind camp. 


An established blind player and Indian International, Gabriel, is also expected to come in from Bengaluru to help train the players and play in the demo exhibition game as well, the press release informed.


Blind Football is a fast paced 5-a-side match played by visually impaired athletes using a ball with a noise-making device inside. Played on a smaller pitch on an enclosed court, the game was introduced as a Paralympic event only in 2004. There is more dribbling and short passing than in the mainstream sport, and crowds remain quiet during play to ensure that players can hear the ball, their team-mates and opposition players. 


Matches are played between two teams in a ground size of 40m X 20m, each with four outfield players and a goalkeeper. The outfield players are visually impaired (VI) and wear eyeshades to ensure fairness; however, the goalkeeper may be fully or partially sighted. The pitch is surrounded with a rebound wall; the sport is played with no throw-ins and no offside rule, which ensures non-stop action. Matches are played over two halves of 25 minutes each, plus 10 minutes for half-time. 


All players are blindfolded before a game so that this becomes a 'level playing field' for all players partial or fully blind.


The inaugural programme followed by the training/demo camp will be held at 9:30am on February 15; while on February 16, a Blind Football Demo game will be held at 12:30 pm followed by a closing programme.