| History compiled by: |
| Richard Hofmann, USA |
| James Frere, England |
| Don Bennett & Dee Horton Malcho - Founders, USA |
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The First Kick - September 1982
Don Bennett invented the game "by
accident" in 1982. He's still active in the game and
most recently help develop the sport in Mexico. He was first
person elected to the into the World Amputee Football Federation
Hall of Fame.
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Don Bennett, of Seattle, Washington, USA, was always active -
skiing, boating, mountain climbing. Then he lost his leg to a
propeller in a boating accident. That may have changed his style
of activities, but not his love for or his level of activity.
One example of his drive to remain active: Don became the first
amputee ever to climb Washington's Mt. Rainier (the second
highest peak in North America) on crutches.
Simple Beginnings: Don Bennett created amputee
soccer by accident. True.
He was watching his son practice basketball in his back yard. At
one point a basketball escaped and began rolling down the
driveway. Don, on crutches and without his prosthesis, simply
raised up on his crutches and kicked the ball back to his son.
In a flash of insight, Don figured if he could kick a basketball
on crutches, he could kick a soccer ball on crutches. It was a
deceptively simple beginning to what's become a world-wide
sport.
At the time Bennett was more involved with skiing than soccer. So
he and a group of seven other skiers used the game to keep active
and stay in condition during the summer while waiting for ski
season.
But the game caught on.
Founder Don Bennett center, in white T-shirt,
and the very first amputee soccer team.
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In 1985 Bill Barry, a soccer coach with Canadian and US pro team
experience, became the coach of a team under the Seattle
Handicapped Sports and Recreation Association (SHSRA). He
eventually established Amputee Soccer International. Bennett
continued to serve as the team's manager.
It was through his efforts, with the assistance of Don and other
members of the Seattle group, that the sport was established in
other countries.
Barry traveled through Central America and Eastern Europe
introducing the game to anyone who would come out and watch.
At that time The Soviet Union declined to have anything to do
with the game because they claimed not to have any handicapped
persons.
1984 The first international
amputee soccer tournament is held in Seattle,
Washington, USA. American Canadian and Central American teams
participate.
For the first several years of the game the goals remained
regulation size and the game was played on a regulation American
style football field.
The Boeing Aircraft Company became a major supporter of the game,
sponsoring annual international championship events between 1986
and 1991.
One of Barry's skills was to attract media attention through
a series of exhibition matches held in conjunction with other
major sporting events:
The sport was designed to be played by all
amputees. Women were among the first players and have competed in
international competition. USA represented here by Ms. Bronyn
Creed.
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1984 A match at Seattle Memorial Stadium
before 8,000 people during the US Olympic Soccer Team Tour.
1985 A match before 25,000 fans at a Seattle
Mariners New York Yankees baseball game at the Seattle King Dome.
1986 A match seen by 47,000 fans during at
halftime at a Canadian professional football game.
1994 SoccerFest at the LA Convention Center
during the World Cup tournament, and during halftime of an
Anaheim Splash (MISL) match in the same time frame.
1987 Pitch and goal size and other
rule adaptions adopted to make the game our own.
El Salvador military veterans win the World Cup. Jose Baldimir
Melgar Maravilla, a star player for El Salvador nicknamed
"Rambo" for his ever present headband, scored a
tournament leading six goals for the champions. El Salvador
struck a postage stamp in his honor.
1988 Amputee soccer introduced in
England by Dr. Gwynn Thomas, British Amputee Sports Association,
as a rehabilitation activity. Later in the year England sent a
team to Seattle for the 1988 World Cup.
England won the indoor competition and took the Bronze behind El
Salvador (Gold) and USA) Silver in the outdoor competition.
1988 Barry introduces amputee soccer
in Uzbekistan.
1989 Russia and Brazil establish
amputee soccer programs and send teams to the championships.
1991 World Cup tournament,
Tashkent, Uzbekistan. First World Cup held outside North
America.
Latter Day Amputee Soccer
Amputee Soccer provides an arena where
individuals from all cultures and points of view can come
together in friendship and sportsmanship.
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1998, August World Cup Championships,
Manchester, England.
Gold
- Russia
Silver - Uzbekistan
Bronze - Brazil
1998, December The game's first
formal governing body, the International Amputee Football
Federation, is formed in Moscow, Russia. Georgi Lunacharsky,
Russia, President.
Delegates include, from left: Rick Hofmann,
USA; Jim Frere, England; the late Evgeny Zinkovski, Russia; Georgi
Lunacharski, Russia. Other delegates included Ademir Cruz de
Almedia, Brazil; Steve Johnson, England; David Mizuradze,
Republic of Georgia, and Yuri Prokohrento, Ukraine.
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1999 First Open European
Championships, Kiev Ukraine.
Gold
- Brazil
Silver - Russia
Bronze - Uzbekistan
2000 World Cup - Seattle, Washington,
USA.
Gold
- Brazil
Silver - Russia
Bronze - Ukraine
2001 World Cup, Rio De Janeiro,
Brazil
Gold
- Brazil
Silver - Russia
Bronze - England
Captain Ademir Cruz de Almedia celebrates
Brazil's 2nd consecutive World Cup Championship - 2001.
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2002 World Championships, Sochi,
Russia
Gold
- Russia
Silver - Brazil
Bronze - Uzbekistan
In the bi-annual Congress member nations vote to disband the
IAFF.
2003 World Championships, Tashkent,
Uzbekistan.
Only
four teams participate.
Gold
- Russia
Silver - Ukraine
Bronze - Brazil
Fourth - Uzbekistan
2005 World Cup, Rio De Janeiro,
Brazil
Gold
- Brazil
Silver - Russia
Bronze - England
4th
- Ukraine
5th
- Sierra Leone
6th
- Turkey
Member nations in Congress form the World Amputee Football
Federation. Steve Johnson, England, President.
2006 Volgograd Open Championships,
Volgograd,
Russia Sept. 24 - 30, 2006
Gold
- Russia
Silver - Great Britain
Bronze - Uzbekistan
2007, February First All-Africa
Amputee Soccer Tournament held. Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Gold
- Ghana
Silver - Liberia
Bronze - Sierra Leone
First CANAF - Cup of African Nations Amputee Football.
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2007 World Cup -
Antalya, Turkey, November 11 - 21, 2007.
Gold
- Uzbekistan
Silver - Russia
Bronze - Turkey
2008 European Amputee Football
Championship Dec. 1-6, 2008
Gold
- Russian
Silver - Turkey
Bronze - England
2009 World Cup 2009 - Nova Friburgo,
Brazil
Host City reneged on commitment to host. World Cup canceled.
2010 World Cup - Crespo, Argentina
October 16 - 23, 2010.
Gold
- Uzbekistan
Silver - Argentina
Bronze - Turkey
As Association president and team captain, Hugo Herenu (blue and white stripes) hosted 14 other teams in Crespo, Argentina, for the 2010 World Cup - that country's first major amputee football tournament.
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2012 World Cup - Kaliningrad, Russia
October 6 - 15, 2012.
Gold
- Uzbekistan
Silver - Russia
Bronze - Turkey
Legendary Coach Rustam Kariev takes
Uzbekistan to its third consecutive World Cup Gold Medal.
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2014 World Cup - Culiacan, Mexico
Nov. 30 - Dec 8, 2014.
Gold
- Russia
Silver - Angola
Bronze - Turkey
2017 European Championships, Istanbul, Turkey, Oct. 2017
Gold
- Turkey
Silver - England
Bronze - Poland
4th - Spain
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Largest crowd ever to watch an amputee soccer match. European championship match Turkey v. England, Vodafone Park, Istanbul, 41,188 fans.
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2018 Nairobi, Kenya
Kenya forms first ever all women's amputee football team.
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Under the leadership of President Ms. Charity Kamau, the Kenya Amputee Football Federation (KENAFF) formed the first ever national women's amputee football team.
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2018 World Cup - Guadalajara, Mexico
Oct. 24 - Nov. 6, 2018.
Gold - Angola
Silver - Turkey
Bronze - Brazil
4th - Mexico
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R. G. Hofmann and Ampsoccer.com. All rights reserved.
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Algeria
Angola
Argentina
Belgium
Brazil
El Salvador
England
France
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Haiti
Iran
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Kenya
Liberia
Mexico
Niger
Nigeria 
Poland
Sierra Leone 
Turkey
Russia
Ukraine
USA 
Uzbekistan