The head of the Asian Paralympic Committee commented on the DNA of Kazakhstan's people.

The esteemed guest expressed admiration for the determination of Kazakhstan's Paralympians, as reported by Caravan.kz.

Upon arriving at the training facility of the FC "Kairat" Academy named after Segizbaev, just as the national blind football team of Kazakhstan was honing their skills, Majid Rashed noted that in terms of ball control and gameplay techniques, the Kazakhstani athletes are on par with the teams participating in the Summer Paralympic Games for this sport.

“I have not missed a single Summer Paralympic Games since 1996. At each Paralympics, I made it a point to attend the blind football matches. In September of this year, at Paris-2024, I watched a match between Brazil and Argentina. They played at a level not far from yours. Now, as I just arrived on the field, I saw how you control the ball with your feet while moving across the pitch; this is very important. This is what I observed today. You are newcomers, but you are strong. I have been to many countries, and they do not have the facilities that you have here,” said Majid Rashed.

The blind football team (a Paralympic sport) was established with the support of FC "Kairat" in 2018 and received the status of the national team of Kazakhstan at the end of 2022. They have set ambitious goals—to secure a license for the 2028 Summer Paralympic Games. The head of the APC is confident that Kazakhstanis will achieve this.

“I hope, InshAllah, Kazakhstan will be represented at the next Paralympic Games in blind football. I saw from your ball control skills that you are not far from this goal. I also want to say that you have strength in your hearts; the people of Kazakhstan know nothing is impossible—all is possible. The history of your nation shows that when faced with challenges, you overcome them and win; it's in your blood, victory is in your DNA. See you in Los Angeles,” Majid Rashed told the athletes.

It is worth noting that since the formation of the team, they have participated in two official tournaments under the aegis of IBSA – the International Blind Sports Federation. At the end of 2022, in the Asian Championship, the debuting Kazakhstani team secured 9th place out of 10 teams, and in 2023, at the Intercontinental Cup (held for the first time in the history of this discipline), they improved to 8th place out of 10 national teams.

The head of the National Paralympic Committee of Kazakhstan, Kairat Boranbayev, emphasized that dialogue with the Asian Paralympic Committee is ongoing, and during the current visit, both parties agreed to cultivate new Paralympic sports in Kazakhstan. To facilitate this, Kazakhstani coaches will attend training programs to gain new experiences and apply them back home.

However, the head of the APC did not only meet with adult Paralympic athletes. Before visiting the football players, Majid Rashed stopped by to see children with physical development challenges attending the "Meirіm" rehabilitation center.

As someone with physical limitations himself, Majid Rashed expressed admiration for the center's capabilities and its approach to socializing children and integrating them into sports.

He admitted that he lacked such a center in his childhood, and children with physical disabilities faced significant challenges, noting that this center could serve as a model for many others, not only in Kazakhstan but also on an international scale.

Majid Rashed played boccia with the children, his favorite sport, and in a fair contest, lost by one point to the center's best player—12-year-old Sae Sovetkhan, who had recently brought a gold medal to the center in this game.

Previously, FC "Kairat" became the champion of Kazakhstan in football for both youth and adults.