Silver to Spain, Bronze to England: hosts, Italy, is fifth
By 5 to 1 over Spain, Chile won the first Transplant Football World Cup, organized in Italy (in Cervia, Romagna) by AiCS – Italian Sport Culture Association and promoted by the Transplant World Games Federation. Team Italy, represented by Aned – Associazione Nazionale Emodializzati Dialisi e Trapianto – placed fifth. The finals, at the end of 4 days of competition, were played this morning at the “Filipi” sports field in Cervia: silver to Spain, bronze to England. Fourth to France.
All 11 competing teams (Australia, Chile, England, France, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Italy, Romania, Spain, USA, Wales) were made up of organ transplant recipients, including liver, kidney, lung, heart and bone marrow: more than 300 people were present, including about 200 transplanted football players – men and women of all ages -, about 40 volunteers were involved, 4 doctors were present every day on the sports field and in the social venues, along with about 10 physiotherapists.
Medical assistance and advice were provided in collaboration with Ausl Romagna, the Transplant Reference Center of the Emilia Romagna Region, and the Department of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Bologna, who also participated in the scientific conference promoted as part of the Transplant Football World Cup last Wednesday, also in Cervia. At the center, the benefits of sports for transplant recipients: not coincidentally, the football players and players participating in the competitions also joined the study promoted by Unibo and the National Transplant Center precisely on the relationship between sports and transplantation. The event was then conducted with the support of the Minister of Sports, the Government’s Department of Sports, the Italian Paralympic Committee, in collaboration with Aned and under the patronage of the Region, the Municipality of Cervia, and with the support of Beyfin and the media partnership of Corriere Romagna and Radio Bruno.
At the center of the week of festivities and inclusive sports-from last Sunday’s opening ceremony that saw the 11 participating flags paraded and athletes and referees sworn in-the stories of those who made it. From Samuele, a 16-year-old from Albano Laziale and the youngest athlete on the field among all the international participants, a kidney transplant at just 14 years old; to Kate, a 42-year-old Australian now head of the Transplant World Games Federation soccer committee, a liver transplant at just 16. The social moments, which involved athletes, family members, doctors and volunteers, were all dedicated to tales of “giving.”
Among the most exciting matches was the “International gift football match” played Thursday afternoon between AiCS staff and a representative of all participants in the Transplant Football World Cup.
All matches were streamed live on the Transplant World Games Federation’s Youtube channel. All 7-a-side soccer matches were refereed by AiCS referees, and the rules included special rules aimed at protecting the health of the competing players.
TONIGHT THE AWARDS CEREMONY!
