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Inverness resident sets up petition for Fifa to donate funds to help Nepalese village football teams

Derek Newton with village football team players in Nepal. Image: Derek Newton.
Derek Newton with village football team players in Nepal. Image: Derek Newton.

An Inverness man has created a petition calling on Fifa to donate funds to create more opportunities for football in Nepalese villages.

Derek Newton wants to raise money for village football teams, which are integral in small communities.

He has now set up a petition via change.org in response to the thousands of deaths during the preparations for the Fifa World Cup in Qatar.

It is estimated that more than 2,100 Nepali workers have died in Qatar since 2010, the year the middle-eastern country was awarded the tournament.

Mr Newton, a former university lecturer, believes it would be a fitting tribute for Fifa to donate funds to help village football teams prosper.

Football teams in Nepal often use dried earth pitches for playing their favourite game. Image: Derek Newton.

Having spent many trips in the remote Nepalese communities in Lamjung and Manang districts, he understands the importance of football for community cohesion.

He said: “I’ve really enjoyed the tournaments that bring together teams from different villages, girls and boys.

“The pitches are just flattened earth on a steep hillside, and they easily turn into a mud bath after rain.

“And the ball sometimes disappears into the depths of the forest. But these competitions are highly organised and enthusiastically supported by local people.

“They help to maintain the commitment of young people to their local communities.

“It would be great if the local associations were properly funded by Fifa to provide better pitches, kit, equipment and training.”

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