2019 Para-Soccer Tournament Kicks Off In Abuja With 10 States

2019 Para-Soccer Tournament Kicks Off In Abuja With 10 States

By Wale.Ayeni

The 2019 Para-soccer National Championship takes centre stage to mark the World Polio Day at the Area 10 Old Parade in Abuja as Kano state hammered their FCT counterparts 7-0.

The annual event which is put together by the Para-soccer Federation of Nigeria (PFN) in collaboration with Rotary International is expected to climax on Wednesday, October 23.

10 states are competing for the ultimate prize at the four day event. The states are Kano, FCT, Gombe, Nasarawa, Kaduna. Zamfara, Katsina Sokoto and Borno. Kaduna State is the defending champions.

Speaking to newsmen during the opening ceremony, NPF president, Misbahu Didi, appealed to governments, corporate organisation, Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) and individuals to support polio survivals, saying the inventory of para soccer has given means of livelihood to victims of polio in the country.

He said Para-soccer Federaria is organising the championship yearly in collaboration with the Rotary International to fight polio in the country.

“The competition is organised to fight polio in the country. Rotary has been the only partner of our national championship,’’ he said.

He urged organisations to support the event, saying that finance remained the greatest problem of the federation.

World Polio Day was established to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis.

The last edition of the championship was held in Lagos with Kaduna took the first position and Kano second, while Delta took the third place.