Ruptly
"Bolivia has begun forming a Women's National Amputee Football Team, aiming to represent the country at the FIFA-recognised 2027 World Cup. Footage captured in La Paz on Saturday shows players training on a field as they are preparing for the tournament. Alongside promoting sport and healthcare, the initiative is intended to support amputees psychologically. "It is a great project, first because it will contribute to the health of women with disabilities, in this case amputee women, to their emotional, psychological state and also, why not say it, to the empowerment of women with some type of disability such as amputation," said Roxana Baca, Departmental Director of Disability of the Government of Santa Cruz. She explained that the team aims to inspire people with similar conditions to take up sports and pursue their dreams. "But above all, one must fight and work for the dreams each person has, regardless of whether they have a disability or not," she added. Some players, including architect Patricia Jauregui, who have faced discrimination because of their condition, did not initially plan to join the team. But after seeing the team's unity and solidarity, she gained the confidence to take part in the project. "So that is also the idea that we can reach that point of being part of the World Cup, that we get to know that there really is a much bigger world in which we can live in a better way," she noted. For her part, player Juanita Colque called on women to join this type of initiative so that, in addition to exercising, they can demonstrate women's capabilities in sports. The project was promoted by Dr Fred Sorrells, president of the Operation Go Quickly Foundation, who in January 2026 arrived in Santa Cruz in search of women from across the country with upper or lower limb amputations, without prior football experience. The call is nationwide and not only seeks to form a competitive team, but also to strengthen inclusion, self-esteem and female leadership. As part of the preparation process, an intensive camp is planned for July, where specialised coaches from the United States and Latin America will train both players and local coaches."
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