16-year-old Christina Murray has reached the £4,000 target to stand as the sole Scottish representative at the Deaflympics in Tokyo this November.
Christina, who plays for Glenrothes Strollers’ Ladies, was born deaf and wears cochlear implants in both ears.
Her father, Christian, explained the process that resulted in Christina being called up as part of the GB squad.
“She was invited to Nottingham at the beginning of July by the head coach of Team GB for a trial, where she scored a goal on her debut.
“After the match, she was asked if she would be keen to represent Great Britain at the Deaflympics, and it was a yes straightaway.”
On his daughter representing Scotland on the international stage, Christian could not be prouder:
“It is hard to put into words, but to get that recognition for her hard work at 16 years of age is a massive achievement, and we are super proud of her.”
In contrast to the Olympics or Paralympics, there is no government funding available.
This leaves Deaf athletes themselves responsible for raising the necessary funds in order to compete.
This meant Christina and her family had to source significant funds to cover the costs of the following, but not limited to, participation fees, flights, transport and interpreters, official uniform and accommodation.
At the time of writing, the total that has been raised stands at over £6,000.
Christian expressed his belief that the inequality has to change: “I was surprised to discover there is no government backing for these athletes.
“To experience first-hand what we have had to do as parents, looking for donations, emailing companies and relying on support from others, there needs to be an equal playing field.
“The support is there from within, but the financial element is a barrier that is overlooked.”
Christian concluded by reiterating how grateful him, Christina and their family are for the support:
“Since the trial last month, it has been an utter whirlwind for us and we have received an incalculable number of donations and messages from friends and people we don’t even know.
“They have not only resonated with Christina’s story but also with what Deaf athletes have needed and required.
“For a 16-year-old girl, this is massive, and if it was not for everyone’s support, this genuinely would not have happened, so thank you.”
Everyone associated with YFS extends their very best wishes to Christina at Tokyo and if you would like to donate, please visit: https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/christina-murray
