The Syrian Revolution Football Cup continued for the third day with the attendance including Syrian athletes who suffered amputation as a result of Russian bombardment.
The tournament, which is being held in the Turkish city of Gaziantep with the participation of 16 Syrian football teams, is organized by the Syrian National Olympic Committee and sponsored by the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC). The launch of the tournament coincided with the fifth anniversary of the Russian aggression against Syria.
Secretary-General of the Syrian National Olympic Committee, Ahmed Al-Ali, said that the Committee has been seeking to establish sports institutions that can compete in the future, adding that the Committee is seeking to delegitimize the institutions of the Assad regime which has killed and detained dozens of athletes since the start of the Syrian Revolution.
Al-Ali pointed out that the tournament sent a message to the whole world that the Syrian people deserve a better life in a country that guarantees their rights and dignity regardless of their backgrounds.
Coordinator of the SOC’s Office of Syndicates and Unions, Abdul Majid Barakat, said that this move received special attention from the SOC and won the respect of everyone as it demonstrated the ability of Syrian athletes to organize tournaments despite the lack of sufficient resources.
Barakat pointed out that the SOC is seeking to develop this experience to include other sports, stressing the need to showcase this important aspect of the Syrian revolution and the ability of Syrian athletes to adapt and show resilience. (Source: SOC’s Media Department)
