New Delhi: There's hardly been any publicity and fanfare, but blind football has taken a massive step forward in India. The Indian Blind Sports Association (IBSA), the national sports body for the blind, is sending a squad to represent India at the Thailand Open Football 5-A-Side Tournament 2013 in Bangkok - the first time an Indian team will participate in an international football event.
Organized by the Sports Association for the Blind of Thailand, the tournament will be held from August 19-23 with six teams representing Thailand, Hong Kong, Iran, Malaysia, Russia and India participating in the event. It is a B1 category tournament and as per international rules, each team consists of five players - four outfielders who must be completely blind or blindfolded (B1 category) and a goalkeeper who may be partially blind.
The game is played using a special football which is slightly smaller than a regular one and does not bounce much. The ball produces a sound when it rolls on the ground or spins through the air, which enables the players to locate it. The field of play is 40 metres in length and 20 metres in width, and cushioned boards are placed on the boundaries so that the ball does not go out of play. The cushioning also prevents players from inadvertently injuring themselves. A match lasts for 50 minutes, with an interval after 25 minutes of play.
India have selected a squad of 10 players from all over the country who will travel to Bangkok, along with four support staff. Manager-cum-coach David Absalom wants his team to put on a good show in their first international tourney. "We know it's not going to be easy but we are going to give it our best shot. This is the first time this team will be up against international-calibre players. It will be good exposure for us since the playing conditions will be quite different," he told IBNLive Sports.
"International tournaments are played in indoor facilities on artificial turfs. Our players are not used to that since we don't have those facilities here in India. In India, the game is played outdoors and on grass. It will be a bit of a learning curve for them, but I am sure we will cope."
David gave a few more insights into the game. "The team coach stands behind the opposite team's goalpost and shouts instructions, based on which the players move," he said. "The goalkeeper also plays a crucial role since he can partially see. He can organize the players' positions and start off attacking moves. He also instructs the outfield players when the team is defending the opposition's attacks. The spectators are also asked to remain silent while the game is in progress so that the players involved can hear each other's and the coach's instructions."
The IBSA organised an intensive training camp for the footballers in the premises of Blind Relief Association in New Delhi from August 5-15 and the coach is happy with the way things have gone so far. "We put the players through quite a bit of physical training in order to make them stronger and increase their stamina. We also worked on team tactics and gave the players an insight into what to expect in an international tournament," said David. "These kinds of training camps also help the team bond, with the players getting to know each other better."
Forward Muhmad Israfil seconds his coach on that, saying: "These training sessions have been really good and helps the team to gel better."
The Bihar native, who is now based in Delhi, also hopes this tournament will give blind football a little more exposure in India. "It would be nice if we get a bit more recognition since this is the first time a team is representing India in an international football tournament for the blind. At the moment, very few people know about blind football," he added.
"We are quite excited about this event and hope that we can get used to the slightly different playing conditions as quickly as possible in order to put in good performances and make the country proud," said goalkeeper Abhijit Mondal, from West Bengal.
Kailash Chandra Pande, vice-chairman of IBSA and honorary executive secretary of Blind Relief Association in Delhi, feels this international event is a huge development for football for the visually impaired. "All the hard work put in by various organizations which deal with sports for athletes with disabilities is slowly starting to pay off. We are all very proud that these talented athletes will represent India in Bangkok," he said. "The IBSA held its first National Football Tournament in 2005 in Delhi and has since organisde seven national tournaments for football, even though we get very little funding from the government."
Pande also mentioned that the IBSA, which has 161 affiliates all over India, fabricates its own special footballs and other sports equipment for the blind so that they can easily be made available all across the country. "Players from our affiliates all across India participate in national events which we organise and, generally, also use the equipment provided by us. These tournaments also give our staff a chance to select footballers who can represent India in international tournaments like the one in Thailand," he said.
The Indian squad will leave Delhi for Chennai on August 16 and will then proceed to Bangkok two days later.
Squad: Forwards: Muhmad Israfil (Delhi), Ankur Dhama (Delhi), Ranjit Manapparam Sasi (Kerala); Midfielders: Goutam Kumar Bind (West Bengal), Mohd Saleem (Delhi), Naufal Thandanaparmbil Nazar (Kerala); Defenders: Goutam Dey (West Bengal), Krishan Kumar Yadav (Delhi); Goalkeepers: Abhijit Mondal (West Bengal), Vineet Kumar (Delhi)
Manager/coach: David Absalom
Support staff: Ravi Consul (Assistant coach), Sunil Mathew (Guide), Roy (Escort)
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