BT PARALYMPIC WORLD CUP INTRODUCES 7-A-SIDE FOOTBALL

The BT Paralympic World Cup has introduced 7-a-side football to their 2010 event.

Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given and Burnley F.C. players Wade Elliott and Michael Duff were in attendance to welcome the sport, in a demonstration held at the Manchester Arndale, along with members of the GB 7-a-side team.

Shay Given said: “The BT Paralympic World Cup has become a well known event in Manchester and it’s fantastic to see Football 7-a-side introduced as a new sport. The team has a lot of talent and we wish the GB squad competing in the event the best of luck and will keep an eye on their progress through the competition.”

The annual BT Paralympic World Cup acknowledges the sporting prowess of elite disability players, in an adaptation of the sport for athletes with cerebral palsy.

The GB team will compete against teams from the Netherlands, USA and the Republic of Ireland.

The countries have been selected to align with a new team challenge, which sees Great Britain take on teams from Europe, the Americas and the Rest of the World.

They will be competing across four sports for the BT Paralympic World Cup trophy. Football 7-a-side joins Wheelchair Basketball, Swimming and Athletics, events which are in their sixth consecutive year in the competition.

The GB captain Jordan Raynes said: “I’m very excited that Football 7-a-side has been included in the BT Paralympic World Cup. I live and play in Manchester, where we have a strong following for our county disability league and to now have international competition in my home city means so much to me.

“To have an elite event outside of the Paralympic Games with other leading Football nations will be imperative to the team’s progression as we look forward to the 2012 Paralympic Games and look to build on our seventh place finish in Beijing in 2008.”


Tickets for the BT Paralympic World Cup will be available from March 2010. For more information please visit: www.btparalympicworldcup.com.