A friendly football match 'Together', was organised recently as part of the ‘Kufu' awareness campaign, an initiative of public relations students at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences Sur, aimed to empower people with disabilities.
The match brought together veteran football players from Oman and individuals with disabilities from Al Wafa Centre for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities to share the joy of football and reinforce the idea that everyone is differently skilled and can contribute to society in unique ways. The match aimed to break social barriers, inhibitions and stereotypes that emphasise limitations.
The football match saw Captain Farouq al Alawi, former top scorer of Al Oruba Club, stand
alongside champion Abdulaziz al Balushi from Al Wafa, who won four bronze medals in different categories of weightlifting at the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023. Other celebrated participants also came together to reflect the spirit of this incredible encounter.
This was a match where the goals extended beyond the pitch and the loudest cheers erupted not for goals but for meaningful moments as individuals with disabilities played side by side with men who had once worn the national jersey.
The Kufu campaign, organised by Public Relations students as part of their academic coursework this year, focused on empowering individuals with disabilities. The match kicked off at 9 am in the Indoor Stadium at Sur Sports Complex and lasted 30 minutes, followed by a player recognition ceremony and interactive activities for the audience during half-time. The event was open to the public and was attended by university and school students, families and invited guests. Dr Sana al Hadaabi, Deputy Assistant Vice-Chancellor of UTAS Sur and Hana al Sulaimi, Head of the Mass Communication Department, felicitated the players.
In a culture where disability is often spoken of in hushed tones as if it were a private matter confined within homes, this match spoke out loud, deliberately and beautifully to enhance the public visibility of inmates of Al Wafa Centre on a wider canvas.
To prepare the Al Wafa participants, multiple training sessions were held on the ground, with specialists supporting the eight players: Al Jaber al Daroushi, Abdulaziz al Balushi, Salem al Mashrafi, Mohammed al Habsi, Ibrahim al Shaibi, Abdullah al Mashrafi, Hazza al Farsi and Mahmood al Ameri.
JOYFUL EXPERIENCE
Akram Ali, vocational rehabilitation specialist at Al Wafa centre, described the match as a flawless and joyful experience, a much-needed outlet for individuals with disabilities to express themselves freely. He noted that the participants from Al Wafa truly shone on the pitch, their bright, radiant smiles filling every corner of the field.
Three veteran players, the men who had worn club and national team jerseys for decades, shared their reasons for accepting this invitation and, through their words, the deeper meaning of the event grew louder.
Coach Salem Azzan, the renowned international instructor, said the match was unique compared to what he had played over the years. Despite having witnessed countless games throughout his career, he described this one as having a special atmosphere of its own, the one he and his colleagues genuinely enjoyed. He extended his gratitude to the students at the University of Technology for organising such a meaningful charitable initiative.
Farouq al Alawi said the match carried a noble purpose and a powerful message for the community. He expressed his happiness at returning to the pitch alongside his former teammates and at playing with the participants from Al Wafa Centre.
Another celebrated player, Captain Saeed bin Khamis al Oraimi, a coach of Sur Club and a former
national team player, offered warm praise for the efforts of the students behind the 'Kufu' campaign. He expressed his pride in seeing such tremendous work done to highlight this segment of society and added that he had played this entire match without once noticing the passing time, so much had he enjoyed playing alongside the participants from Al Wafa Centre and seeing the smiles light up their faces.
When the final whistle blew, no one rushed to check the score. Instead, applause rose for both teams. There were no losers; instead, everyone raised their cup of joy and echoed, ‘Disability is not a barrier; it is a doorway into a shared space where everyone belongs, plays, and thrives together’.
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