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Migrants of the ball: pay to dream in the biggest amateur league in Africa

Tunisia, Apr 13 (EFE) .- (Camera: Javier Martín) Elyse, Laurent, and Adam were born in countries as close and as disparate as Gabon, Ivory Coast, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but they have many things in common: an age ranging between 18 and 20 years, contagious optimism and the recurring dream of carving out a future, either in Africa or Europe, with a ball on their feet.FOOTAGE OF THE TOURNAMENT.SOUNDBITES OF NICO VALDO, PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AFRICAN FOOTBALL ACADEMIES AND ORGANIZER OF THE AMATEUR LEAGUE IN TUNISIA.Translation: "There are 12 academies, about 30 players per team, we are talking about between 350 and 400 players. It is played on Saturdays and Sundays, but if there is a postponed game like today it is played on Wednesday. There are six games a week, three on Saturday and three on SundayTranslation 2: "We are the ones who pay for the pitch and the Tunisian referees, each team contributes a small amount or some players and is organized through a committee, in which I am the president, we have an office, a box, everything each team has to quote, players or teams can quote, but we need the money to be able to play, to pay for the field, the referees. "Translation 3: "We wanted to include the teams from the province, Sousse and Monastir, but we were unable to do so due to the transport costs since the teams that travel must pay for it. As the transport issue is at the moment blocked, we only have the teams from Greater Tunisia, without those from the province ”.Translation 4: "No, normally we don't have. We have informed all the embassies, all the African embassies know about it, they know about the championship, they have even come to see it and have verbally encouraged us, but they have not given us anything for the championship."Translation 5: "The players are either students and there are others who do different things in Tunisia, but a great majority are students. Knowing the situation of each one is complicated, but yes, there are regular migrants and there are irregular migrants. Normally the students are regularized, but those who do small jobs usually are not. "Translation 6: “That is the aim of the championship, to play, to train together, and thus allow players in the future to be integrated into clubs, whether in Africa or Europe. Some who played the previous championship returned to countries such as Ivory Coast and Gabon to take their club entrance exams there. That is the objective of the championship, to bring the players together so that they can go to the teams. " Translation 7: "The biggest problem in the field, we need a better and less expensive field. In Tunisia we have a problem with the use of municipal fields ... the payment of arbitrations, medical insurance, in case the players get injured That are things to improve AND training, more coaches and technicians who teach us and teach the players because here there are very good players. The players are very appreciated by the Tunisian clubs when they go to the tests. " SOUNDBITES OF ELYSÉ, OF GABON.Translation: "I joined this league to try to benefit myself and be able to relaunch my career as a footballer. He played for a Gabon first division team. He arrived in October looking for work and a professional soccer club to play for. He studied. IT "My wish is to find a club and thus achieve my dream of being a good footballer."SOUNDBITES OF ADAM TINGUI, DEFENSIVE MEDIA OF THE CONGO. COMPUTER STUDY.Translation: "There is a very good atmosphere because we are many Africans who are here from Black Africa and there is a very familiar atmosphere, we know each other, we share football." SOUNDBITES OF LAURENT, IVORIAN DEFENSE, AND CAPTAIN OF THE SPORTIVE UNION OF TUNS.Translation: "The championship is important physically and morally because it keeps us prepared and ready to seize an opportunity if it arises from joining a team."