Special needs athlete Angelina toss coin at 2018 FIFA World Cup opening match

A young athlete name Angelina Makarova with special needs participated in the coin toss of the opening match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup yesterday at the Luznhiki Stadium in Moscow. 

Her unique opportunity to be at arm’s length from world football stars was part of a large-scale inclusive initiative named ‘#Readyto# Openhearts’ launched by Coca-Cola prior to the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Coca-Cola has been supporting the idea of a barrier-free environment together with sports for many years. This is whyduring the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour on 1 May in Vladivostok the company launched the nationally inclusive initiative ‘#Readyto# Openhearts’, aiming to attract maximum attention to the problem of social isolation of people with special needs in Russia and to help realise their unlimited potential. One of the campaign’s key elements is the integration of teens with special needs into the FIFA Youth Program which gives them the opportunity to become flagbearers and toss the coin at championshipmatches.

Makarova is the first individual to get such an opportunity. Makarovahas been swimming for the past 11 years, including participating in the Federation of Watersports for people with special needs. Makarova,competing in the junior category, is a winner and medalist of the regional and national swimming tournaments for people with Down Syndrome as well as a Special Olympics medalist in short course swimming. 

Makarovaalso does gymnastics, attends theatre classes and trains in a sports group with children with Down Syndromeorganised with the support of FIFA. While talking to the media, she said she was very excited and happy that she had been chosen by Coca-Cola.

As the official FIFA Partner, Coca-Cola has been actively participating in the FIFA Youth Program and shares its values. Within the FIFA Youth Program, Coca-Cola provides Special Olympic athletes with unique opportunities to become part of the FIFA World Cup. Besides the opening match, young athletes with special needs will be involved in 11 more FIFA World Cup matches in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Samara, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod and Rostov -on-Don where they will be flagbearers.

Pic by Gitika Talukdar