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Always an inspiration - 13th May 2022
This team of amputee footballers from Surabaya, Indonesia have got big dreams. They're perfecting their one-legged technique for a championship in Jakarta.
When he was a child, Syaiful Arifin enjoyed playing football. Then, aged 12, he fell from a train and ended up losing a leg. Before he discovered amputee football on social media, he thought he'd never play football again.
Syaiful Arifin: "It all started from social media because no one knew about football for amputees. So, I looked it up on the internet and came across a website about amputee football in Indonesia."
Players have to learn to cross the pitch quickly on their crutches, which presents challenges. It takes some adjusting, says team coach, Muhammad Komer.
Muhammad Komar: "The most difficult thing in this kind of football is to adjust yourselves with the crutches. It's not as easy as football training with both legs. They need to coordinate different muscles when running or kicking the ball. It takes a lot of training."
Playing football's had a positive effect on the players' mental health and provides a renewed purpose in life. Khusnul Yakin has noticed the difference in his own mindset.
Khusnul Yakin: "I used to just stay at home, lacking confidence because of our physical condition. But then I thought, 'Come on, why should I be shy? We are humans just like others, even though we have disabilities.'"
Surabaya's amputee football team is still searching for additional players. However, Arifin and his mates are confident they’ll be able to win the trophy. Surabaya resident Dendy Rohman believes that, whether they win a trophy or not, they'll be an inspiration in any case.
Dendy Rohman: "They are an inspiration and a hope for the future, that you have to stand up despite your conditions so you can embrace a better future."
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