The camp is supported by the World Amputee Football Federation and the Santa Cruz Department.

The First South American Amputee Women’s Football Camp is taking place in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, to establish the sport in the country and form a team for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

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Elizabeth Bress, president of the foundation that bears her name, stated that this event “is the first of its kind in the world” and brings together women with no experience and World Cup players.

She contacted 50 amputee women in Bolivia, 24 of whom agreed to participate. Planning began in January as a national event, but expanded to participants from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, the United States, and Uruguay.

Among the World Cup players is Uruguayan Florencia Nuñez, who had her leg amputated due to cancer at age 2 and played in the 2018 World Cup in Mexico in the mixed category, a transformative experience.

The camp began on July 12 at the Ramon Aguilera Academy and will conclude on Saturday, with three daily training sessions, technical talks, personal development workshops, and coach training.

Head coach Mario Miguel Gutierrez explained that the training started “from scratch,” focusing on technique, balance with crutches, ball control, passing, and the players’ physical and mental preparation.

Lidia Mayser, president of the Santa Cruz Sports Assembly, noted that amputee women are a vulnerable population and that the main goal is to empower them through sports and inclusion.

The camp is supported by the World Amputee Football Federation (WAFF), Operation Go Quickly, the Dignified Childhood Foundation, and the Santa Cruz Departmental Government to create a national women’s federation.

teleSUR: JP

Source: EFE

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