Many Yemenis are finding some measure of relief from the ongoing violence by participating in unofficial competitions and playing street football.
Yemenis have turned to their lifelong passion for football as a means of coping with the devastation, bloodshed, and humanitarian disaster that has befallen their country in the midst of the cruel conflict in Yemen, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 370,000 people.
On improvised football pitches consisting of nothing but sand and rocks, amateur players show off their skills in front of a cheering audience that travels from a great distance to be there.
There are not any seats available. The crowd, which often numbers between 800 and 1,500 people, stays standing during the entirety of the game, yelling and chanting to encourage their side and the players on the field.
The civil conflict that broke out in Yemen in 2014 brought an abrupt end to many elements of daily life across the country, including the official football scene.
After the longtime president of Yemen, Ali Abdullah Saleh, was removed from office, a power struggle ensued in Yemen, which resulted in the Houthi group, which is supported by Iran, seizing control of the country's capital, Sanaa, and eventually expelling the internationally recognized government and its president, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who had the backing of Saudi Arabia and other regional players.
Hunger, a lack of healthcare, and contaminated water have been responsible for almost 60 percent of the 370,000 deaths that have occurred since the conflict began. Additionally, the country's infrastructure has suffered greatly as a result of the battle.
There are still over 25 million Yemenis who are in need of help; five million are at risk of starvation, and more than one million have been affected by the cholera outbreak.
Given the precarious nature of the situation, a good number of Yemenis have sought solace in the sport of football, not only competing in unofficial competitions but also taking up the game on the streets.
Boys and men from all over Yemen have been coming together to participate in unofficial football tournaments staged in a variety of cities and villages in an effort to try and live something resembling a normal existence.
Sami al-Handhali, a football analyst and former player for the al-Ahly Taiz football team, stated that the country's sports infrastructure was facing massive destruction. According to al-Handhali, stadiums and sports centers were either the target of attacks or were converted into military facilities.
Even if the official football leagues started up again in September of the previous year, there is still a severe lack of money for sports clubs and athletes, he continued.
"Yemenis have arranged their own events on makeshift football pitches, which brought back excitement among the crowds and helped them deal with their plights as well as led to discovering new talents who were then picked up by the club side as well as the national team." "Yemenis have arranged their own events on makeshift football pitches, which brought back excitement among the crowds and helped them deal with their plights."
Sources : anayanews
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