Deaf football team cry for help

The national deaf football team has appealed to corporate entities and the government to help facilitate their second participation in the upcoming West Africa Deaf Football tournament slated for the Keque Stadium in Lome, Togo, from November 3 to 9.

The  team’s parent body, the Ghana Paralympic Committee (GPC), which made the appeal, stated that many attempts to solicit support from some corporate agencies had proved futile, hence resorting to the state to step in.

“We are still canvassing for financial support to make the trip to Lome through corporate agencies but it has yielded no results, so we are on our knees appealing for support from well-wishers and corporate agencies to come to our aid”, Ignatius Elletey, Secretary General of the GPC said.

Team coach, Winfred Chartey Annan, told the Daily Graphic last Friday that the players were in high spirits and are prepared for the tournament but lack of funds was hampering their efforts.

“I am appealing to all stakeholders in football and the government to support us for this trip and ensure we travel to Togo for this all-important tournament for these physically challenged athletes,” he stated.

The deaf squad last won silver at the third edition of the tournament in Benin last year and hope to go for the gold in Togo if funds are released for their participation.

The team is due to begin a non-residential camping on October 27 in preparation for the eight-nation tournament.  

The participating teams are Republic of Benin, Gambia, Ghana, Niger, Mali, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Togo.