First African Nations Amputee Cup for S/Leone

In a bold bid to sustain and give amputtees in Nigeria a sense of belonging, the Prince Are Feyisetan-co ordinated Nigeria Amputtees Football Association is gearing up to be part of the 2007 first African Nations Cup Tournament slated to hold in the West African State of Sierra Leone in February.

In a chat with nigeriasports.com Are disclosed that, a team to represent the country, has started training and that, if other African nations such, Ghana, Angola, Tanzania and others are doing it and freshening up the aspirations of the such disabled citizens, "why not Nigeria."

The continental amputtees soccer fiesta, according to Are, is expected to kick-off whith the 5-Aside version as a test run. "Each nation is expected to send in the names of 21 players with 3 goal-keepers. This first show, will be bankrolled by the continental body with the provision of crutches, accommodation and feeding."

However, the Nigerian squad would be catered for through sponsorship, "which we are still battling to get. We are encountering difficulties in getting corporate bodies to sponsor are trip to Sierra Leone because the game is still new in the country. There is no way we can go it all alone; not with the non-availability of jobs for the members, who are the players.

"We manage to sustain the Association with the meagre assistance from Paul Ogazi, Joe Apu and myself and as you know, this is nothing to write home about. We pray sponsors to come to our aid and they would not only be doing such service to the country, their corporate images, but a heavenly service to humanity," Are pleaded philosophically.