SPECIAL OLYMPICS SOUTH ASIA UNIFIED FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT: INDIA'S FEMALE AND MALE TEAMS FINISH 3RD AND 5TH

Dhaka [Bangladesh], April 24 (ANI): The Special Olympics South Asia seven-a-side Unified Football Tournament 2024 concluded on April 19 with the SO Bharat Female Football team securing a third position and the male team securing a fifth position.

Bangladesh A and Bangladesh B in the female and male categories, respectively, held the first position in the tournament.

The closing ceremony was held at Bashundhara Kings Sports Arena Stadium, Bashundhara, Dhaka the same day. Following the ceremony the teams departed.

On their journey back to India, the Team was embraced by the warm hospitality of the Air India Crew who celebrated and cheered for the teams.

"The athletes of Special Olympics overcome significant odds to reach the levels that our teams did for the Dhaka tournament. Every participation stands as testimony to the zeal in the athletes to push their limits. This, by itself, is something the sports fraternity can take inspiration from.", Virender Kumar Mahendru, Executive Director, SO Bharat said, according to a release on Tuesday.

Two teams- a male and a female - with 11 Athletes and unified partners in each, and 5 Coaches from 8 states (Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Delhi) participated in the Special Olympics South Asia Unified football 7-a-side in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 16-20 April. (ANI)