Anantapur Sports Academy breaks gender barriers in rural areas with La Liga help

Bengaluru, March 9: Despite the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic wreaking havoc across the globe, 330 children from underprivileged communities in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, are continuing to learn football, thanks to a joint initiative by La Liga, the La Liga Foundation and the Vicente Ferrer Foundation who are continuing to support the programme developed by the Anantapur Sports Academy (ASA) for the fifth consecutive year.

Through the programme, ASA coaches have shared experiences, promoted the exchange of ideas on training, methodologies and knowledge necessary for playing the best possible football, in addition to conveying the positive values associated with sport in general and football in particular.

As for the sporting aspect of the initiative, several mixed football competitions were held in January, in which there were a total of 274 participants from Under-7 and U-9 age groups, all in compliance with the strict post COVID-19 health guidelines.

♀️⚽️🙌🏾🥰🇮🇳

💪🏾 Desde @LaLiga, la @FundacionLaLiga y la @FVICENTEFERRER seguimos fomentando la igualdad de género en las zonas rurales de la India.

📈 Actualmente el 45% de los participantes de la @ASA_RDT son mujeres y niñas. 👧🏾#DiaInternacionalDeLaMujer #NoEsFútbolEsLaLiga pic.twitter.com/OdTv9gnp2Y

— Fundación LaLiga (@FundacionLaLiga) March 7, 2021

As part of the activities included within the non-residential academy, 36 boys and girls were selected to play in different leagues, in addition to participating in training sessions given by the academy and skills coaches that will promote their personal development in their everyday lives off-the-pitch.

The ASA was launched in 2000 with the aim of promoting the values and habits associated with playing sport, and since then 9,000 children in the seven to 16 age-group category have participated in this project.

It is supported by the Vicente Ferrer Foundation and has active involvement from La Liga and its Foundation, which in turn are contributing to the increase in the number of athletes in the region, breaking down barriers that these youngsters currently face in rural communities.

"Gender cannot stop me from making my dreams a reality."

Read how these 3 girls challenged gender stereotypes and chose to play sport.
Read here: https://t.co/owwVwO6zOh#ChooseToChallange #IWD2021 pic.twitter.com/rAlepT3aAc

— Anantapur Sports Academy (@ASA_RDT) March 4, 2021

Talking about the inititaive, ASA Director Sai Krishna said, "The most difficult challenge has been integrating girls into sports activities. In Anantapur nobody played sports, yet right now 45 per cent of the participants are girls. We're seeing a paradigm shift and a change in mentality necessary to achieve a culture of peace and equality."

Uma Devi, who is a participant in the non-residential girls' academy shared her thoughts, "Many parents don't allow their daughters to play football, but my parents have. I would love to inspire other girls in my town and I want to be an example for them."