Cerebral Palsy Sport Ireland

Ireland’s Cerebral Palsy Soccer Team Invited by UEFA to Participate at Euro 2008
 

 UEFA have invited the Irish and Dutch Cerebral Palsy soccer sides to play an exhibition match in advance of one of the European Championships Quarter-Finals this June. The two nations are among the leading European sides in Cerebral Palsy soccer, which in played in a seven-a-side format.
 
Ireland and Holland are among the eight nations to have qualified for the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing which get underway on September 6th. The exhibition match will take place in Vienna, Austria on Sunday June 22nd. The invitation to Ireland is part of UEFA EURO 08 Football for All initiative championed by UEFA President Michel Platini. 
 
Paul Cassin, Irish team manager expressed his delight: “It is a real honour for Ireland and we are delighted to see UEFA giving CP soccer such a high profile platform. It is a big year for us with the Paralympics in September. The players put in a huge effort to qualify in Brazil in November and this is a wonderful bonus for them, plenty of motivation to keep them training through the winter!”    
 
Note: CP Soccer is part of Cerebral Palsy Sport Ireland and the team is supported by the Paralympic Council of Ireland, the Football Association of Ireland the Irish Sports Council.
 
For further information contact:
Paul McDermott           Irish Sports Council      087-6486295
Paul Cassin                   Team Manager             086-8130341
 
 
Sinéad McElroy
Communications Officer
Irish Sports Council
t: 01-8608804
e: smcelroy@irishsportscouncil.ie