An aviation broker at Aon is set to realise a dream when he represents Great Britain at the Paralympics in Beijing in Cerebral Palsy (CP) Football.
Matthew Ellis, 28 years old from Colchester, has been playing CP football since university and has been in the England team since 2005, which in the lead up to The Games involves training five times a week.
The 2008 Paralympic Games, which will be held from 6 to 17 September, are the ultimate competition for CP Football, with Team GB in a pool with the Ukraine (the current world champions), Iran and Ireland.
Matthew commented: “It is a struggle achieving a good work-life balance while training for the ultimate prize in CP football, but Aon has been extremely understanding and supportive in terms of the time off from work and allowing me to structure training around working hours.”
This is the first Great Britain team to enter the Paralympics for CP football. As a result, Team GB will be the lowest ranked team at the Games, which leaves us ideally positioned for a major upset.
The is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and aside from the football the Olympic experience, camaraderie, spirit and ethic is something I can’t wait to drink in. It’s not every day you get to represent your country.”
Cerebral palsy is not a progressive disease or an illness. It is a physical impairment that affects movement agility and balance, usually as a result of trauma to the brain.
The three main types correspond to injuries to different parts of the brain and can cause some muscles to become stiff or weak, affecting the control of moment; the loss of control of posture causing unwanted movements.
