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Leonard Ncube, Online Reporter

PHYSICALLY challenged people in Bulawayo, particularly amputees and those using crutches finally have a sport to play and enjoy recreation following the introduction of amputee football in the city.

The sport started in Harare and has spread to Bulawayo through the efforts of Dambudzo Msipa, who is not living with a disability.

There are now two teams in Bulawayo; Hebrews Amputees Football Club and Black Jack Amputees Football Club.

According to the rules of the game, each team should have six infield players who are leg amputees and a goalkeeper who should be a hand amputee.

The teams, affiliated with the Zimbabwe Amputees Football Federation, initially played in Nketa before moving to Amakhosi Theatre because the grounds were rocky and have now relocated to Nguboyenja near Jairos Jiri.

Msipa said the objective is to encourage positive living among people with disabilities and conscientise the mainstream society that they are not disabled but only differently-bodied.

“The sport started in Harare in 2019 and we brought it to Bulawayo where we have two clubs Hebrews Amputees FC and Black Jack Amputees FC. The aims is to make sure they don’t feel left behind but know they are equals to everyone. So we decided to bring the idea here and in Harare they already have viable teams,” said Msipa, who is the league’s chair in Bulawayo.

On Saturday the teams received a donation of shoes from a renowned Victoria Falls based benefactor of amputees, from  Frederick Mafira who is father to Zimbabwe’s young blade runner Pride Mafira.

“We met the Bulawayo Amputees Football teams and donated shoes to them on our way to South Africa,” said Mafira.

He was accompanying his son Pride who he coaches, for a prosthesis in South Africa.