Mumbai City FC and Special Olympics Bharat Maharashtra have come together for a strategic partnership that will see the two entities extend support towards creating inclusiveness via sports for persons with Intellectual Disabilities.
The strategic partnership kicked off on October 15, 2022, when Special Olympics Bharat Maharashtra athletes were given the honour to be the mascots for the first ISL 2022 game in Mumbai between Mumbai City FC and Odisha FC.
The SO Bharat Maharashtra athletes walked out with Mumbai City FC players as they took to the field at the Mumbai Football Arena which is housed within the Andheri Sports Complex.
Furthermore, the partnership will see Mumbai City FC and SO Bharat Maharashtra undertake unique exchange programs that will focus on exchanging knowledge and skills that focus on creating inclusion through Unified Sports.
Kandarp Chandra, CEO of Mumbai City FC expressed his jubilation on the strategic partnership as he said, “Sports is the perfect way to improve inclusivity and SO Bharat Maharashtra have done a commendable job at doing so. The expertise of their coaches will help us further understand the barriers one has to overcome to participate in the sport they love. I am sure the knowledge base of our coaches in return will help the SO Bharat Maharashtra coaches improve the technical skill of their athletes.”
Ms Sandra Vaz, the Area Director at Special Olympics Bharat Maharashtra also expressed her delight as she said, “We are excited to form a partnership & sign an MoU with Mumbai City FC. The SOB Maharashtra Coaches will sensitize the MCFC players on how to deal with our differently-abled athletes. The skill & knowledge of the MCFC coaches in the game will help immensely while training our coaches & athletes. The excitement continues as the MCFC has given our athletes a chance to be mascots & accompany the players on the field at their first Mumbai game against Odisha FC.”
