This story also appears at InBedWithMaradona.com
The
Darfur region is better known for poverty and the murderous Janjeweed militia,
who terrorised and drove out many of the indigenous population in in western
Sudan in a conflict that began over grazing rights.
What
Darfur is not known for is football but that could be about to change. On
Monday, a team of Darfur refugees will make the ‘international’ debut in the
bi-annual Viva World Cup, which is being staged this year in Kurdistan.
With
no games played, how Darfur fares in its first fixture against the breakaway
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is hard to gauge. Particularly as the TRNC
has an established and competitive league whereas the side that American
manager Mark Hodson has whittled down from a shortlist of over 60 taken from
refugee camps has yet to play a game.
That
Darfur United – as the team are known – is even here is an amazing story as the
idea for team came from the West Coast of America and i-ACT, a non-profit based
in the Los Angeles area.
“We
have been traveling to the refugee camps in Eastern Chad since 2005, each time
connecting with the refugees through various projects, including soccer,”
explains organiser Katie-Jay Scott
“Soccer
is one of the few outlets that the Darfuri children and young adults have.
Since 2010 we've been bringing sports equipment donated by soccer and
volleyball clubs in America to the schools in the refugee camps. Last year we
had the opportunity to ask Christian Michelis from the [VWC organisers the]
N.F. Board if they would accept a team from Darfur. And, he said yes. That is
where Darfur United and its journey began.
“Now
we have several soccer clubs, organizations, schools, and individuals involved.
Aid Still Required (ASR), also based in the Los Angeles area, has come on
board as a partner to help make the trip to VWC, and the long term programs, a
reality.”
Although
the Kurdish organisers are covering accommodation for 25 members of each of the
eight visiting teams to Kurdistan, teams that enter have had to cover their
airfare. This has deterred some potential entrants, notably Greenland.
As
the Darfur United party prepared to leave Chad, Katie-Jay Scott admits: “We
continue our outreach on this front. It's been an amazing feat to raise what
has been needed and we still have a little ways to go.”
She
continues: “i-ACT and ASR have been fundraising since November 2011 to make
this project a reality. It's required 3 trips to the refugee camps:
introduction of the idea and establishing a project plan, tryouts, and now
finally to pick up the team and take them to Iraqi Kurdistan. We've collected
quite a few donations, including our uniforms and cleats [boots] which were all
donated by Tracy McGrady, an NBA player. Xara Soccer has also been incredible in
providing balls, cones, goalie gear, and training uniforms for the team.
“The
project has been fully funded by generations individuals, schools/school clubs,
local LA-area businesses, and soccer teams. We've sold Darfur United gear and
hosted a large fundraiser here in Manhattan Beach.”
What
happens next for Darfur United is the main issue. The TRNC are favourites to
qualify form a group that includes a team drawn from the French region of
Provence that is coached by former Valenciennes defender Philippe Burgio. Even
if Darfur United do not qualify, the team will go on.
Katie-Jay
Scott says: “Darfur United will surely continue after VWC. We plan to create an
academy-like program that trains these initial players to return home and teach
soccer to the kids and young adults in their own camp. There are 12 camps in
Eastern Chad and all camps are represented in those attending the VWC plus a
few others who were on the roster but unable to travel.
“These
young men will continue to be trained by coaches who travel to the refugee
camps and in turn share their soccer knowledge with their peers. We also hope
to begin a soccer program for young girls, which wil be the first of its kind
in the camps. All of this will likely start with a pilot program in Fall 2012 or
Spring 2013.
“We
also want the team Darfur United, also known as Darfur F.A., to continue to be
able to play together and against other teams. Most likely, the next match
would be in Chad, against Chad itself, or perhaps against an organized UN
Refugee Agency team; not sure of the details or timing of this but we will work
to keep the team playing together.
“Darfur
United is really more than just a team. It will not only be turned into a
documentary about the team and their individual stories from Darfur to the
refugee camps, but it will serve to continue to unite the Darfuris in a time
when they are physically and spiritually disconnected because of violence.”
Donate
to the Darfur United campaign here.
