Deaf and Blind Soccer Fans Get to Experience World Cup 2018 With the Help From Their Friends
Despite his physical condition, Colombian soccer fan Jose Richard Gallego still manages to enjoy the events of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, thanks to a friend.
Gallego, a blind and deaf man, met Cesar Daza three years ago, and they immediately discovered that they both love watching soccer.
Since Gallego cannot watch or hear what is going on in a game, Daza decided to learn sign language and made up a set of hand gestures so that he can relay what's happening in an ongoing soccer match to Gallego in real time.
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"We've reached a common understanding," he told Metro UK in an interview. "This means out of bounds. This refers to a corner kick. This means sideline judge. This sign means a penalty kick. If the ball is thrown-in, this is the signal. This gesture means someone got a red card or yellow card," he added/
A video of them taken during the televised Group H match between Colombia and Poland went viral, showing how Daza translated the events of the game for his friend. Gallego obviously cannot follow the actions on TV, but he was able to feel the joy and excitement that everyone feels inside the room during that time thanks to the effort of Daza.
However, Gallego was not the only deaf and blind soccer fan who was given an opportunity to feel the excitement of this year's World Cup.
Newsflare reported about how Carlos Alberto Santana managed to follow Brazil's game against Costa Rica with the help of his friend Renato Rodrigues, who interpreted the plays of the game by holding his hands in a mini replica of a soccer field.
"We wanted Carlinhos [Santana's nickname] to feel the emotion that millions of Brazilians feel," Rodrigues stated. He even depicted Neymar's tears of joy by getting Santana's hands and cupping them to his face.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup will last until July 15, which means that both Gallegos and Santana can still enjoy more games in the coming days.
