A moment of pride and celebration was witnessed at Shafqat Special School, Bemina, Srinagar, as one of its students, Ayaz Ahmed, studying in Class 9th, was selected for the Indian football team to participate in the prestigious Gothia Cup in Sweden.
Ayaz, as per a statement, joined Shafqat Special School in 2016 and has shown remarkable growth and dedication in sports.
His selection came as a result of his outstanding performances at national-level competitions and his consistent commitment to football. The first national championship for the Gothia Cup trials was held at Centre for Disability Sports Gwalior in March 2026, where the Kashmir football team from Shafqat Special School participated.
Ayaz worked tirelessly under the guidance of his coach, Firdous Ahmed Najar, and was shortlisted for the national squad. Following this, Ayaz and his coach were called by the Special Olympics Bharat office to attend the second training camp, which took place at CDS Gwalior from 14th April to 25th April 2026.
During this camp, intensive training and assessment were conducted for the final selection process, with nearly 125 athletes participating.
Once again, Ayaz’s dedication, discipline, and determination, along with the mentorship of his coach, helped him shine and secure his place in the Indian squad.
On 5th June 2026, the final team list was displayed by Special Olympics Bharat, in which Ayaz was officially selected to represent India at the Gothia Cup in Sweden. He and his coach then attended the final training camp at CDS Gwalior from 7th June to 17th June 2026.
The Gothia Cup will be held in Sweden from 8th July to 17th July 2026, where Ayaz will proudly represent India on the international stage. This achievement is a matter of immense pride not only for Shafqat Special School but also for the entire Kashmir region. We wish him great success in the tournament