For the fourth time in a row (2012, 2014, 2018, 2022), the national amputee soccer team has qualified for a world cup finals, scheduled to take place in Turkey in October 2022 with the participation of 24 countries under the auspices of the FFA/FAF (Amputee Football Federation).
This national selection, champion of the Concacaf zone, had enormous difficulties during its preparation and even to go to Mexico to participate in the elimination tournament held from March 13 to 20, 2022, according to Marie Sophonie Louis, an official of the Haitian Association of Amputee Football (AHFA). Despite everything, it obtained its qualification while finishing at the first place in the classification with 7 pts ex-aequo with the United States and Mexico in a rather raised group, made up of Mexico, host country, of the United States, big favorite of the tournament, of Costa Rica and El Salvador for the zone of North America, Central and the Caribbean.
In their first game of the group, the amputees defeated Mexico with a score of 3 goals to 1. Against the Costa Ricans, they conceded a draw (0 – 0). For their third game, they recorded a defeat (1-2) against the starry selection. Finally, on Sunday, March 20, 2022, our amputee grenadiers have atomized the Salvadorans with a score of 5 goals to 1 at the San Juan Lagos Stadium in Jalisco, thanks to goals from Stanley Gustave and Saviola Charles twice each, and the last goal was the work of John Spinoza, while it was the Salvadorans who had opened the score at the 18th minute of the first half. In the second half, thanks to a collective self-sacrifice and a state of mind of gladiators, the foals of coach Rochenel Pierre reversed the trend and obtained a crushing victory over the team of El Salvador, which allowed them to take over the first place with 7pts to the beard of the United States and Mexico thanks to a better goal difference (+ 5).
This national amputee soccer team scored 9 goals in 4 games in the tournament and conceded 4. The title of top scorer was awarded to Saviola Charles, the Haitian providential striker with 4 goals.
After this achievement, messages of congratulations and words of comfort came from all sides and from various horizons, particularly from the MJSAC (Ministry of Youth and Sports and Civic Action), the BSEIPH (Office of the Secretary of State and Integration of Persons with Disabilities) and the FHF (Haitian Football Federation) to name a few.
This heroic qualification, acquired at the price of great sacrifices by our amputee grenadiers, came at a time when the Haitian people are living a very dark page of its history. This has not prevented its bicolor to shine outside, especially in sports and culture, especially with this victory and this historic qualification.
Returning to the country on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, the heroes did not find, at the international airport Toussaint Louverture of Port-au-Prince, a welcome commensurate with the feat they had just achieved in Mexican soil, alas!
The national soccer selection for amputees of 2018, then coached by Jean Marc Thenord Antoine, was eliminated in the round of 16 against Poland (1-3) after a flawless group stage with 3 wins (2-0 vs Spain, 2-1 vs Ukraine and 2-1 vs Angola.)
What you should know about amputee soccer
Amputee soccer is played on a field of 60m x 40m (maximum) and 70m x 60m, i.e. 1/2 the size of a classic soccer field.
Specific rules
The cage is 2 m 2 high (maximum) 2 goal camps
5 m wide x 1 m deep.
The games are played in 2 periods of 25 minutes with a 10 minutes break.
One 2-minute time-out is allowed per team. There is no offside in amputee soccer.
Field players, except the goalkeeper, must have a lower limb (foot) amputated. They may not use their crutches and stump (remnant of a severed limb) to handle or manipulate the ball. If this happens, it is considered a “hand” unless it is unintentional.
In addition, if a player of a team uses the crutch against his opponent, this automatically results in a sending off and a penalty.
Amputee soccer is played with 6 field players and a goalkeeper. The field players are amputees with one foot, but use the crutch with their hands for support.
The goalkeepers must use both feet, but only with one hand.
NB: The FFA/FAF (Amputee Football Federation) currently has 43 members. Haiti is affiliated after the earthquake of January 12, 2010.