On 26 April, the 4th All-Russian Adaptive Football Festival Steel Will among persons with disabilities concluded in Sochi, on the federal territory of Sirius.
The festival was held under the auspices of the Russian Football Union (RFU), with support from the Ministry of Sport of the Russian Federation, Paralympic and Deaf Sports Committees of Russia and All-Russian federations developing adaptive football disciplines: All-Russian Sports Federation of Deaf Sports, All-Russian Federation of Football for Persons with Cerebral Palsy, All-Russian Federation of Sports for the Blind, All-Russian Federation of Sports for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities, All-Russian Federation of Sports for Persons with Musculoskeletal Disabilities. The general sponsor was traditionally the FONBET company, which has consolidated its charitable and social initiatives under a dedicated branch called DobroFON.
This year's festival attracted more than 600 people (78 youth, men's, and women's teams) from 34 regions of Russia, as well as from Belarus and Kazakhstan. Athletes represented all disability categories, including the blind and visually impaired, the deaf, amputees, individuals with mobility impairments, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, as well as athletes with transplanted organs.
Twenty sets of awards were contested during the event. For the first time, the festival hosted the League of Heroes amputee football tournament, featuring veterans of the special military operation.
The festival was opened by Elena Shmeleva, Chair of the Board of the Sirius Federal Territory and Head of the Talent and Success Foundation. Addressing the participants, she said: “Each of you makes it possible for others to fulfil their dreams. Your dedication—how you organize your thoughts, plans, and training—serves as an inspiration to children and young people. You energize countless individuals around you. For us, your presence helps assess whether the federal territory is truly comfortable and inclusive”.
Over three competitive days, all participants battled for the title of best team.
RESULTS ACROSS ALL CATEGORIES AND THE BEST PLAYERS OF THE FESTIVAL
Deaf Football, Women (4 teams):
1st place — St. Petersburg
2nd place — Voronezh Region
3rd place — Udmurt Republic
Deaf Football, Men (7 teams):
1st place — Saratov Region
2nd place — Rostov Region
3rd place — Donetsk People's Republic
Best Players in Deaf Football:
Amir Fitsev, Kabardino-Balkar Republic — Boys
Margarita Nikulina, St. Petersburg — Women
Victor Perezhilin, Donetsk People's Republic — Men
According to Pavel Rozhkov, President of the Paralympic Committee, the festival is as emotional as the largest international Paralympic competitions. He noted the participants’ high level of skill and competitive spirit and thanked the veterans of the special military operation for their courage.
The winners and prize-winners were awarded by Pavel Rozhkov, President of the Russian Paralympic Committee, Olga Semyonova, President of the All-Russian Federation of Blind Sports, three-time Paralympic champion, Ivan Potekhin, President of the Federation of Football for Persons with Cerebral Palsy, Paralympic champion, Nikolai Oganezov, Advisor to the General Director of FONBET, Roman Kostomarov, Olympic champion, Tatiana Domnina, Olympic bronze medallist, and Anatoly Makarov, midfielder of FC Sochi.
Alexey Smertin, Head of the RFU’s Department of Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility, the famous ex-captain of the Russian national football team and the driving force behind the project, remarked: “Steel Will is not just a phrase, the festival participants truly have steel in their hearts. The main goal of the festival is to engage and socialise people with disabilities through football, through their love of the game. Even in its fourth year, this festival still moves me deeply. It sends a powerful message: these athletes can showcase their abilities and connect with each other”.
The festival marked the first Steel Will tournament of 2025. Further stages will take place in June in Nizhny Tagil, in early September in Samara, and in late autumn - Sirius Federal Territory. Additionally, the Siberian Steel Will festival will be held in July in Novokuznetsk.
