Muhannad Sandouqa aims to open up football to amputees in Jordan

Cancer brought Muhannad Sandouqa’s playing career to a halt, but it did not extinguish his passion for football. In Jordan, he is seeking to grow amputee football and is working on creating a sports club for people with disabilities.

His experience with the illness began in 2022, when he hoped to become a professional footballer. Treatment lasted about a year and a half and included chemotherapy sessions and the fitting of a platinum knee. In April 2024, after a relapse, doctors decided to amputate his foot.

During treatment, Muhannad chose to stay connected to football through coaching. His health prevented him from returning to competition as a player, but he says football remained essential to his life and that he looked for a new role in the game. He also says returning to the field helped him adapt and focus on training and developing his abilities.

His experience led him to consider forming an amputee football team, offering a similar opportunity to others who have lost limbs. He is currently looking for participants to begin training and move the project forward. More broadly, he hopes to establish an equipped club where people with disabilities could exercise regularly, receive appropriate coaching and progress towards sporting competitions.

To those facing difficult circumstances, Muhannad offers this message: « God does not test anyone without knowing they can bear the trial; so do not bury yourself when you are capable of leaving your mark. »