By Bockarie Allieu
FREETOWN, Aug 31 (SALONE TIMES) – The OlympAfrica Center in Sierra Leone on Thursday organized a three days Futbal Net competition for the children at the Goderich community in Freetown. According to the Director of OlympAfrica Rev. Frank Turay this year’s competition because of the COVID-19 the competition was code named Social Distancing Futbal Net competition. He went on that instead of playing football this time they adopted cultural games like Akara, Touch and several other games just to bring the children together while observing the COVID-19 rules. In playing the various games they grouped the children so as give way for minimal contact. Futbal Net he said was introduce by FC Barcelona in Spain to help control the children and divert their minds from involving in negative practices. The idea worked well in Spain and was later introduced in Europe and now in Africa. In the game he said the boys and the girls play together in one team. The Futbal Net game he said has taught the children to develop love and have respect for each other. Futbal Net was introduced in Sierra Leone three years back and it has changed the attitude of the children greatly according to the children and their school teachers. This year is the fifth edition of the Futbal Net program and over 100 children divided into various groups took part in the program. Because of the Pandemic he said they were unable to take part in the usual international competitions. He went on that as the COVID is getting less there was now a possibility that there will an international competition next year. Sierra Leone has taken part in three international competitions. In the first competition they did not do well but came first in the second tournament second in the third tournament. Frank Turay said out of the Futbal Net they now have an U-15 male football team which took part in the in the ongoing WAFA U-15 Tournament. The three days competition ended on Saturday 28th August 2021.
