Canberra Kangaroos refugee football club enters the mainstream competition as players connect with new
Canberra Kangaroos refugee football club enters the mainstream competition as players connect with new: The Page Oval is not even close to becoming Canberra’s most famous sports arena.
However, these fields are the home of a football club that, for some new residents of Canberra, plays a considerably more significant role in their life than the typical function that sport plays.
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The Canberra Kangaroos was established in 2013 by immigrants from Afghanistan. The team is competing in the state competitions of the ACT this season.
Off the field, players have to contend with considerable challenges, including unclear futures.
A group of people who had fled Afghanistan established the Canberra Kangaroos approximately nine years ago. It participated in the yearly refugee tournaments that were hosted all around Australia.
But in 2018, it entered the public consciousness. The club is putting itself to the test by competing in the state league competitions in Canberra for the first first time.
Ali Ekhtyari, the club’s secretary, stated that though members of the Afghan community founded the organization, it now included athletes from Pakistan, Brazil, South Sudan, Iraq, and Iran.
According to what he said, “This club is centered on inclusiveness, in order to prevent the isolation that refugees and migrants often confront.”
“It’s incredibly useful for those migrants who don’t know what to do, how to get out of the isolation, and how to get over their loneliness.
“You should come here with each other because it’s a nice area to hang out.”
In comparison to the pressures that come from off the field, pitch battles are a welcome relief.
The club was founded by Afghan players, but it is currently available to players from any refugee country.
Outside of the sport, many of the club’s players have to contend with difficult obstacles.
Rohullah Hassani, the goalkeeper, currently possesses a temporary visa and is exerting a lot of effort to bring his family to Australia.
He remarked, “We have been cut off from our family for a very long time, over ten years at this point.”
“It’s not easy at all. Every day is a struggle, and we are anxious about the future… We are under a lot of emotional and physical strain back home since it is not very safe.
“All we want is that the new government provide us with the opportunity to relocate our family and begin a new life here,” the couple said.
On the other hand, Mr. Hassani reported that his condition improved when he discovered a welcoming society in Australia.
He said, “Since I joined this group, not only do I feel proud, but I also feel a lot better.”
Mohammad Aamir, the coach of the Reserves, stated that there had been difficulties in communicating due to the presence of so many different cultures.
“I’m not going to lie; things were challenging when we first started,” he admitted.
According to him, “a lot of the lads, they’ve came here maybe a year or so ago, and some of them have been here a bit longer.” He went on to say that some of the boys had been here for even longer.
“[Being Able to See] the Guys Who Have Been Around for a Little While Longer… It was because of you bringing the other boys in and showing them the way that the team was able to come together more.
It’s been really nice just having the boys together and learning their experiences, where they come from, and how they’re able to transmit that onto the pitch. We all recognize that football is a worldwide language, and it’s been really fantastic just getting the lads together.
Hekmat Frotan, who is now one of the new players, relocated to Australia the year before last.
“The most important thing to do when you move to a new nation is to create new acquaintances and establish new relationships,” he advised. “That way, whenever you come across something challenging or whenever you are confronted with an issue, there should be somebody who can help you.”
“I came here, I met new people, I made new friends, and honestly, it’s like I built a new family, which is fantastic,” he said. “It is more than just a football game for me.”