Local boys gear up for F4F Programme in Russia
View(s):Dinuka Bandara and Mohamed Ayaan Sadath, the selected 12 year-old-young ambassadors from Sri Lanka will be on their way to Russia on June 8 to participate in the 6th Gazprom Football for Friendship International Programme. They will be joined by kids from over 210 countries around the world, in Moscow.
Ayaan Sadath (L) and Dinuka Bandara
Dinuka Bandara, selected in the role of a goalkeeper will be a part of the 32 International Teams of Friendship that play against each other in the Gazprom Football for Friendship International Championship. The young footballer will be a part of the “Lion” team, and will undergo a 3 day training camp in Moscow, to get used to the playing conditions and get ample practice with his team, before the start of the championship. Each International Team of Friendship will be trained by 14-16 year old young coaches from different countries. The young footballers will also participate in workshops and sessions, conducted by renowned celebrities.
A student of St Joseph’s College, Nugegoda, Dinuka Bandara started playing football at the age of 6 in the Cooray Park Grounds in Colombo. He has participated in football tournaments across the country and has played a pivotal role in getting his team to win trophies at the MMCR Stephen Challenge Championship, Manchester Soccer Academy Football Festival and Colombo Municipal Council Championship, among many others. He was also awarded the Fair Player Award in the Mahinda Fonseka Under 12 Challenge Championship. He currently plays for Manchester Soccer Academy, Sri Lanka, and dreams to play for a professional football club in the future, like his idol, Lionel Messi.
At the F4F Programme in Russia, Dinuka Bandara will be accompanied by Mohamed Ayaan Sadath, who will act as a young journalist and cover all the local and global activities of the program as part of the International Children’s Press Center. The Press Centre acts as hub for the young journalists who gather information, make reports, write news articles and prepare materials on the initiatives implemented as part of the Programme.
An 8th grade student of Royal College, Mohamed Ayaan Sadath is a sports enthusiast who also hails from Colombo. H started playing football at the age of 7 and currently plays for his school’s U-13 team and Manchester Soccer Academy, Sri Lanka. Apart from football, Mohamed Ayaan also likes to read and write stories. An admirer of Real Madrid, Manchester United, Paris Saint German football clubs, he considers Cristiano Ronaldo, Mohamed Salah, Neymar Jr. as his favorite players.
Dinuka Bandara and Mohamed Ayaan Sadath will also participate in the Sixth Football for Friendship International Children’s Forum in Russia, which will provide the youngsters an opportunity to meet their peers from other countries, share their experiences, and discuss with famous footballers and journalists on how to promote key values of the F4F Programme around the world. The International Children’s F4F Forum will be participated by famous sportsmen, journalists, and public figures who support the project and provide their thoughts and inspiration to the young athletes.
The young ambassadors will also participate in the Nine Values School programme, where they will be taught about the nine key values of the F4F programme (friendship, equality, fairness, health, peace, devotion, victory, traditions and honour, under the guidance of young coaches and the supervision of famous players.