Fed: Soccer team gives hope to young Afghan refugees

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Fed: Soccer team gives hope to young Afghan refugees

By Kelly Nicholls

SYDNEY, Feb 1 AAP - Many have lost their families and their futures are uncertain,but a sport once banned in their homeland is giving new hope to a group of young Afghanrefugees.

Most of the 40 members of the Tiger 11 Refugee Soccer Club in Brisbane came to Australiaalone, enduring terrifying voyages in leaky boats commanded by people smugglers.

Aged between 14 and 18, they cling to the hope of a brighter future, albeit withouttheir families left behind in Afghanistan.

Something as simple as a soccer match is a poignant reminder of the oppression theyonce faced and the freedom they now enjoy.

Banned by Afghanistan's former Taliban regime, the game is helping these boys regaina sense of belonging.

The team is currently trying to raise money to tour rural Queensland and NSW at Easter,giving the young refugees a chance to see Australia and Australians a chance to meet them.

"They were scattered and they had no community to belong to," Tiger 11 manager CamillaCowley said, explaining that many lived with local families.

"They needed to have some feeling of belonging and community. It's not the soccer thatmatters, it's the feeling of community."

The team has a home ground at the Western District Community and Sporting Club, wherethey train once a week and play on weekends.

Mrs Cowley said the team was named Tiger 11 because in Afghanistan the tiger was respected,but also endangered.

"They felt they had much in common with the tiger," she said.

The teenagers' journeys to Australia were full of dangers, Mrs Cowley said.

"They were very frightened, it was very dangerous, only to be undertaken by very desperatepeople," she said.

"A lot of them talk of leaky boats, thinking they were going to drown. These peoplehave had a terrible, terrible passage out here. They all just want a better future.

"Since they've left, they've had no contact with their families, they have grave fearsabout that."

While they have made it to Australia, the refugees' futures remain uncertain.

Recent changes to the government's immigration laws mean they have only been able toapply for temporary protection visas.

They must reapply for visas every three years and cannot bring their families to Australia.

They will also lose their visas if they leave the country.

Access to welfare benefits is also limited and there is no access to government-fundedlanguage classes.

"Their future is one big question mark," Mrs Cowley said.

AAP kn/jjs/sp/tnf/bwl

KEYWORD: AFGHAN SOCCER (PIX AVAILABLE)