War-torn Laos Football Team Win Major Football Trophy

War-torn Laos Football Team Win Major Football Trophy

GOTHENBERG, Sweden, July 25, 2010/PRNewswire/ -- An Under-18s football team from Laos, one of the poorest countries on
Earth, have been awarded a key trophy at the world's largest youth football
tournament.

The Laos football team, who are the first football team in the history of
Laos to ever play in any European football tournament, have been awarded the
Fair Play Cup, in recognition of their outstanding record for good
sportsmanship, and having also reached the Under 18s B semi-finals, following
many great victories, including those against teams from the United States
(2-1), Brazil (5-0), Sweden (3-0), Hungary (2-0) and Scotland (3-2).

Laos is widely recognised as the most bombed country in the world,
following blanket bombing by American forces during the Vietnam War. One in
five children dies before the age of 5, many through malnutrition. Thousands
more are also killed or injured by the tens of millions of unexploded bombs
that remain scattered, undetected but live throughout the Laos countryside.

The Gothia Cup is recognised globally as the World Cup for Under 18s
football, and this year involves 1,567 teams from 71 nations, and more than
4,500 games. Dennis Andersson, Chairman of the Gothia Cup presented the team
with the award live on national TV at a closing ceremony broadcast from the
25,000-seater Gamla Ullevi stadium.

Gareth Carter, organiser of the trip, said, "We're delighted to have been
able to take this team from the jungles of Laos to the world's biggest youth
football tournament, see them play great football, beating teams that tower
above them and who often benefit from infinitely better modern facilities.
For them to be honoured in this way before they go back to Laos is fabulous."

The team's coach, Manophet Mouidouangdy, whose job was managing munition
clearance in Laos, died tragically just before the tournament and the boys
saw the tournament as an opportunity to play in his memory, as well as a
historic moment for Laos, this being the first time Laos have had a team
playing in Europe.

Laos's official team name is the English Development School (EDS) Laos
Football Club, which is based in Phonsavan, in North West Laos. This is the
area of Laos most badly affected by the legacy of the Vietnam War. Between
the ten years between 1964 and 1973 one B-52 bombload was dropped on the
country every eight minutes, 24 hours a day.

Team captain, Xay Savard, aged 18, said, "It has been amazing to come to
Europe and we are so very happy to win this award and to show the world how
Laos people play football and how good we can play."

Laos top goal scorer, Thai Yang, also aged 18, said, "I am very happy and
very proud of my team and my country. I would like to thank the Swedish
people, organisers and sponsors. I am honoured to be here."

The Laos team had many new experiences on this historic trip. None of the
team had ever even flown on an aeroplane before. None of them had ever even
seen the sea, but on this trip got to swim in it for the first time. Nor had
they ever played on a proper football pitch before as their home pitch is
primarily used for cattle grazing.

The team were supported by the local Laos community, who brought them
Laos food before and after every match. The football team were unable to eat
any local or junk food in Gothenburg, as it made them sick every time. One
Laos player commented, "I ate a beefburger for the first time here, and if I
did that often I think I would change shape and be very unhealthy."

A full length documentary feature film is being made of the team's
successful trip, which will be released worldwide in 2011. A trailer of the
film is available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ811CazvSk

Laos Participation in the tournament was made possible through
sponsorship from Sony Ericsson and Stena Line.

PHOTOGRAPHS / PHOTO STORIES / FURTHER COMMENT

The Laos team return to their country on the evening Sunday 25th July and
can be interviewed before or after this time.

Source: The Gothia Cup

Professional photographs of the team at the tournament, and further comment, is available through the following contact details: Rob Lewis +44-7976-908986, Gareth Carter +46-761-145496

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