Discussion about entry: Spirit of Soccer. Enriching and saving lives through the beautiful game

Posted on Oct 23, 2007 by Changemakers Site Admin

This is discussion about Spirit of Soccer. Enriching and saving lives through the beautiful game.

Sport for a Better World

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Thu, 11/01/2007 - 17:23

I totally appreciate the idea of using a positive aspect to draw attention to a serious field – and I am delighted with the idea that the power of football as the most popular sport in the world is used for a good and serious purpose – in your case Coaching and Mine Risk Education in Cambodia.

I have a couple questions concerning the conducting of your project at the coalface:

How do you ensure a long-ranging effect for children in Cambodia? Are there like educational products out of your activity such as books and movies? Do you already have existing co-operations with educational institutions in Cambodia? How are those lessons you speak about constructed?

Thanks a lot and Good luck with your project!

Cheers

Benedikt

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Fri, 11/16/2007 - 17:12

Scotty Lee

Dear Benedikt,
Thank you for your message.

To ensure sustainability we have a long term relationship with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and the Football Federation of Cambodia. We train specially selected coaches and PE Instructors in FIFA licensed youth development licenses and together with our partners at the Cambodian Mine Action Authority and the Cambodia Mine Action Center they are taught to present Mine Risk Education (MRE).
Educational materials distributed in support of the program include school notebooks and posters featuring world famous Football stars of the Premiership endorsing MRE messages, footballs (3,000) to 275 schools/ clubs and sports kit for children.
The MRE presentations are given by our coaches at the end of organized skills sessions for children attending schools located in some of the most densely mine contaminated areas of this planet.

There you go mate.

Scotty Lee.

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Mon, 11/12/2007 - 11:51

Dana Frasz

I would like to suggest two contacts:
1. bart.weetjens@gmail.com - Bart is an Ashoka fellow that is working to reduce landmines with the help of rats.
2. Christopher Minko submitted "Sustainable Cambodian disabilty sports infrastructure supported through socially responsible corporate sponsorship" to this competition: http://changemakers.net/en-us/node/2389
Secretary General Cambodian National Volleyball League (Disabled)
cminko@standupcambodia.org
Tel: Office: +855 (0) 23 224 032 Mobile: +855 (0) 12 932 642
Website: http://www.standupcambodia.org http://www.volleyballworldcup2007.org

Good luck!
Dana Frasz
Changemakers

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Fri, 11/16/2007 - 16:59

Scotty Lee

Thank you for your comments.

I,ve read about the research work that Bart is carrying out in the Mine Action Journal. Unfortunately Minko has been very hostile towards our program as he see,s us a threat to his standing in Cambodia. He has constantly gone out of his way to condemn our program and the support it receives from FIFA, Laureus and the US and UK governments.
We are a pro - active NGO so our concern is not with the casualties caused by landmines and ERW but preventing casualties.
Scotty.

Comment

Sat, 11/17/2007 - 05:15

Chris Minko

In the interests of professionalism, the CNVLD objects to the defamatory terminology of Mr Lee.

Under no circumstances is the ‘Spirit of Soccer’ programme a threat to the CNVLD because:
1. CNVLD’s focus is the PWDs/Landmine Survivors of Cambodia
2. SOS is a duplication of mine awareness programmes which have saturated Cambodia during the last 19 years. MA programmes have been remarkably successful thanks to professional NGOs and the Royal Government of Cambodia.

Having met with representatives of Laureus in 2005 in Cambodia, they admitted in writing that Laureus were solely interested in capitalizing on the media attention associated with working here. SOS is an exercise in promoting individuals as heroes outside of Cambodia in order for Laureus to falsely promote a relationship to Cambodia.

The CNVLD doesn’t need Bobby Charlton and Tony Hawk pretending to find landmines in Cambodia on TV as a stunt that falsely portrays Cambodia as littered with landmines to the bemusement of many professional landmine clearance and disability rehabilitation organisations. The Athletes with a Disability are CNVLD’s heroes.

Cambodia is a dynamic, emerging economy, proud to be hosting its first World Cup and needs positive portrayal to encourage tourism.

SOS is an example of the burgeoning sports and development industry where many short-term, high profile programmes focusing on individuals egos and the fund raising process take precedence over the intended beneficiaries.

Mr Lee has never, in his short time in Cambodia, contacted the CNVLD, Cambodia’s leading disability sports organisation.

Working to internationally recognised standards of transparency including Cambodia’s only UN Best Practices recognition, the CNVLD requests immediate removal of these comments and written apology from Mr Lee/Laureus

Should these not be forthcoming immediately, the CNVLD will publish the aforementioned written communication with Laureus and take legal counsel.

The CNVLD hopes that Mr Lee/Laureus now refrain from using this exceptionally positive and much needed forum for such uncouth, appallingly unjustified statements.

We need to remain focused on the task at hand: Developing genuine and sustainable sporting programmes for landmine survivors and PWDs internationally.

Christopher Minko