[Soccer. Photo Credit to Pixabay]

The Korea Professional Football Federation, in partnership with the Seoul Rehabilitation Center on Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, established an integrated soccer team named "FC Boramae,"  on April 19th, 2023.

"Integrated soccer" refers to the game of soccer where a partner player with a developmental disability and a non-disabled partner play soccer together.

The Professional Football Federation has been hosting the "K League Unified Cup" since 2021 in efforts to improve and raise the social awareness of people with developmental disabilities.

Through the establishment of FC Boramae, the Professional Football Federation staff plans to team up with the club and the players from the Center for the disabled to participate in this competition.

The K-League held the opening ceremony of the Unified Cup for disabled and non-disabled people on May 2nd, and the Special Olympics Korea and the Korea Professional Football Federation will proceed with integrated soccer for people with developmental disabilities and non-disabled people.

K-League will carry out various activities in which people with disabilities can take the lead, like the "Unified Cup."

Lee Yong-hoon, chairman of the Special Olympics Korea, stated that Special Olympics Korea is preparing a venue where Special Olympics athletes with developmental disabilities and non-disabled partner athletes can become one through integrated sports. 

We continue the touching football to understand each other and unite everyone through the 'Special Olympics Korea K-League Unified Soccer Unified Cup.'

FC Boramae is preparing to participate in the K-League Unified Cup this October.

The Federation offers uniforms, soccer shoes, etc., and allows players with developmental disabilities to feel the joy of soccer in their daily lives.

The support cost for this event is meaningful in that it is prepared through the social contribution activity held by the federation called "1% Salary Donation Campaign."

This campaign is one in which all federation members, including executives, referees, and competition committee members, donate 1% of their monthly salary.

The 2023 Special Olympics Korea K-League Unified Soccer Clinic was held on May 13th and May 14th.

The Federation team, along with the Center, participated in this event with ten federation employees.

On May 14th, a friendly match, which was a practice match for the 'Unified Cup' in October, was held. 

FC Boramae, an integrated soccer team founded by the Center through an agreement, made its debut on the same day.

The integrated soccer team consisted of 10 players with disability and ten players who did not have disabilities were partnered with these individuals. 

Lee Yong-hoon, president of Special Olympics Korea, emphasized the meaning of 'within a friendly game and said, "In past research, 82% of people with developmental disabilities said they gained courage and confidence after experiencing integrated sports. 91% said their athletic skills improved. 94% of people said it was helpful to maintain a healthy life. If you keep doing these activities, non-disabled people can have a chance to deeply understand disabled people and change their attitude in a much more friendly way."

Our society can undergo beneficial changes for both disabled and non-disabled people through integrated sports. 

Numerous people hope that this event will contribute to improving the human rights of people with disabilities and expanding the base of sports by directly participating in sports based on integrated soccer where people with developmental disabilities and people without disabilities can participate together.

In that sense, several people are anticipating that the Unified Cup, which will be held at the Jecheon Soccer Center in October with 12 teams, will open a new chapter of harmony.