The CommBank Pararoos and CommBank ParaMatildas – Australia’s national men’s and women’s teams for athletes with cerebral palsy (CP), acquired brain injury (ABI), or symptoms from stroke – will hold their annual ‘Undefeated Giving Day’ this week, with a target of $100,000 in their sights.
This year’s 36-hour fundraiser will rally football fans and the Australian public behind the teams, with the funds raised used to support their preparation for the 2023 IFCPF Asia-Oceania Championships (Para Asian Cup).
The tournament, the first international CP Football event to be hosted in Australia, will be held in Melbourne from 31 October to 12 November at the brand new, world-class Home of the Matildas.
The CommBank Paraoos, ranked tenth in the world, and the CommBank ParaMatildas, ranked number one, will be competing for silverware as they take on the best in Asia-Oceania. This year’s event will also celebrate the first-ever women’s competition in the region.
The 2023 ‘Undefeated Giving Day’ will commence at 8.00am AEST on Thursday 29 June and conclude 36 hours later at 8.00pm AEST on Friday 30 June.
Excitedly, in a show of generosity, one committed donor has pledged to match every dollar donated during the ‘Undefeated Giving Day’ window to the tune of $50,000. This significant pledge means that if the Australian community collectively donates $50,000 during the 36 hours, it will instantly become $100,000.
CommBank Pararoos’ Defender, Jeremy Boyce said the ‘Undefeated Giving Day’ was an exciting initiative that will help the team prepare for a successful tournament but also empower the next generation of talented footballers living with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury, or symptoms from stroke.
“We’ve seen Australians really get behind the Pararoos since we lost government funding in 2015, and it’s something that as a young player has motivated me to make the country proud,” Boyce said.
“The Undefeated Giving Day is another opportunity for fans to support us. But as we say, this is more than a game. Our platform empowers other young people living with disability, who just like future Socceroos, dream of wearing green and gold.
“The funds raised through the ‘Undefeated Giving Day’ window will go directly to supporting the Pararoos as we prepare to compete at the 2023 Para Asian Cup, a ten-day tournament that will bring together the best in Asia – with the top two nations qualifying for the 2024 IFCPF World Cup.”
CommBank ParaMatilda, Georgia Beikoff said that competing in the first-ever women’s Para Asian Cup on home soil will be a dream come true.
“This tournament will be a real test for us against some incredible female footballers from across Asia. The CommBank ParaMatildas have been together since March 2022, and this will also be our first match on home soil in front of our friends, families, and fans,” Beikoff said.
“As someone who grew up without a national team to look up to, we believe that by playing in front of a home crowd we can help unlock a generation of opportunities for young girls living with disability. We can empower them to not only play football, but to go on to realise their sporting dreams, just like I am now.”
With the end of the financial year just days away, the ‘Undefeated Giving Day’ comes at a good time for Australians – every donation to the CommBank Pararoos and CommBank ParaMatildas will be matched, up to $50,000, and every donation over $2 is tax-deductible.
Donations to either program throughout ‘Undefeated Giving Day’ can be made via the Australian Sports Foundation at the below links:
CommBank Pararoos – https://asf.org.au/donate/the-pararoos-national-football-team
CommBank ParaMatildas – https://asf.org.au/donate/football-australia/the-paramatildas-national-football-team
