Joanne O’Riordan: Amputee footballers never fail to amaze

Let me set the scene for you. The football is hoofed up the field and two players who are roughly 50/50 away from the ball chase it down. Sounds pretty mundane and boring, right?

How about if I tell you both are missing a limb and are using crutches to chase down that ball? Have I piqued your interest?

I’ve spoken about disability before in this column and how I’ll never forgive the sports world for labelling me as effectively useless thus throwing me into slow -paced and boring games. But, amputee football is different.

Moving at a startling, unexpected speed, the two players collide. The ball bounces around, and the usual physical sounds of players coming together are accompanied by a metallic clattering noise which fills the air and echoes around the field.

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As a person with no limb, you can’t help but hold your breath. But as a sports fan, it was as exhilarating as watching a linebacker collide with a wide receiver in NFL. It’s all okay though. The two players are swiftly helped up by team-mates and match officials, and they are handed back their crutches. After a short pause, the ball is dropped between them, and play continues. Game on.

Amputee football is a sport like no other disability sports. The skills and sheer upper body strength is something to be marvelled at while the speed alone is enough to engage any supporter of sports. Outfield players may have two hands but only one leg, whereas goalkeepers may have two feet but only one hand. The disadvantages should be huge and enough to crush any human being, but the spirit and determination shown by these players is inspiring – and not in the patronising manner in which ‘inspiration’ is usually tossed about.

In the UK, Channel 4 actively pushed the idea of ‘The Superhumans’ during their coverage of the 2012 and 2016 Paralympic Games. The application of reverse psychology has left able-bodied viewers with a powerful message that they are just mere humans, compared to the indomitable ‘superhumans’ they are watching.

The FAI, just like Channel 4, are pushing a similar 'Superhuman' strategy, having incorporated IAFA, Irish Amputee Football Association, into their Football For All campaign. As a result, it has widened the horizons for amputee football, and it has made it accessible to future participants and of course to spectators who enter first out of curiosity but leave with new-found wonder.

Amputees league

The official amputees league has just started with teams from Cork City, Bohemians, Limerick and Shamrock Rovers all fighting to earn the right to call themselves champions and hopefully pursue their ambitions of representing Ireland in a World Cup.

Due to the fact the league is still in its formative years, the low participation number works as an advantage in Ireland and indeed the world. There are no dividing lines within amputee football there. Grown men play side-by-side with women and children. This, in turn, has made it one of the most all-inclusive games you will see.

It is set to be something that will simmer slowly, and grow organically rather than commercially. In Ireland, gradually the sport is there, and it is definitely accessible. Cork City FC have been boosting it via their social media and Bohemians are doing the same. There is a national team which is becoming ever more ambitious, and it has some strong-minded people behind the scenes who want to use it to change societal and generational attitudes.

In Europe, the 2017 European Championship was a huge success. The final in Istanbul was attended by over 40,000 spectators, where the hosts beat England in dramatic, last-minute circumstances. To put that in context, this was a higher attendance than for any of Turkey’s five home World Cup qualifiers for Russia 2018.

With its growing popularity, it's a wonder how this incredible sport of skill, strength and technique could be left off the bill for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. The sport itself is growing and participants are keen to stress that an international showcase would change societal attitudes for the better.

For those interested, the league itself will begin in March, and the upcoming fixtures will soon be announced. For other information, you may require, check out the website www.irishamputeefootballassociation.com/ As the header says on top of the website, don't saw aw, say wow.