Amputee football exists in Belgium for a few years and is played on national an international level.
The sport has its own rules. Despite these rules it is experienced as 'normal' football. Read below for the most important rules.
- Each team has seven players (six fieldplayers + one goalkeeper).
- There are no limitations on the amount of substitutions.
- A fieldplayer has (a part of) one leg amputated.
- A goalkeeper has (a part of) one arm amputated.
- Both the goalkeeper as the fieldplayer can only use their non-amputated arm or leg. This is to ensure that everybody plays under the same circumstances
- The fieldplayers use crutches to move and play on the field. These crutches may not be used as an obstruction for the ball or another player.
- A match consists of two halves of 25 minutes.
- Amputee football is played on a smaller field, comparable to half a footballfield (usually 60m x 40m).
You can read the full list of regulations here.
National and international associations
In 2015 the UEFA has oficcially recognized Amp Football as a footballsport.
Also the RBFA followed this example and so amputee football was officially recognized as a sport in Belgium. The Belgian amputee football team, also known as the Red Flamingos, is part of the European Amputee Football Federation (EAFF). The EAFF sets the policy for amputee football in Europe. It establishes the football rules for (candidate) participants.
Amp Football Belgium is also assiciated with the WAFF, the World Amputee Football Federation.
Amputee football is practiced internationally and European and World championchips are organised accordingly.
There is no official amputee football competition within Belgium. All participants train together with the national team in Tubeke.
First class competitor Royal Antwerp FC facilitates amputee football under RAAFC. The amputee football organisation is also in conversation with multiple clubs throughout Belgium.
