Coastal football with a foreign touch

KOCHI: The coastal village of Vadackal in Alappuzha witnessed a unique football match on Sunday. The match played by foreign tourists was organised by Bond Safari, Kovalam in association with NFC, an Alleppey-based football club. The event was held as part of the seven-day-long Coastal Football Fiesta, being held at Vadackal, a coastal village in Alappuzha, which concluded on Sunday.

The foreign players, according to the organisers, were picked up after a selection process. Along with matches held for seven days, a variety of cultural programmes were also held as part of the fiesta. An event held annually, this is the third time such a football tournament is being conducted in the district, with players from Kasargod to Kanyakumari taking part in the event. However, it was this year’s fete which featured the participation of visiting foreign tourists for the first time. The venture aims at bridging the gaps between the local people and the visiting foreign tourists.

Jackson, managing partner of Bond Safari Kovalam, said football is a game which is closely connected to the coastal community of the district, especially among the youngsters. “The aim is to make tourists a part of the cultural scene in the state, especially the coastal areas, and to showcase a more tourist-friendly atmosphere. Moreover, those coming from other countries believe that we are a cricket crazy nation which needs to be changed.”

According to him, the aim is to gradually convert this event into a coastal sports festival. The match will be followed by a New Year’s eve gala dinner and party.Bond Safari is the first PADI certified scuba diving resort situated in Kovalam. The adventure sports company had recently organised activities including an underwater CEOs conference and an underwater cricket match.