A FOOTBALL coach who works tirelessly with disabled children is celebrating after finding out he will be a Paralympic torchbearer.
Samieh El-Kashef, of Cranford, was nominated for all his work with the Chelsea Football Foundation team, which he joined in 2004.
The Carphone Warehouse worker refused to let cerebral palsy hold him back from his love of football and started training with the Chelsea disability team
aged 18.
Now 33, Samieh coaches and mentors other young footballers with a range of disabilities.
He said: “When I was 18, I lived in Hammersmith and was selected to play for the London youth games, now I’m older it is good to give something back. Working with Chelsea has been fantastic, we give people a chance to prove they are good at something regardless of their impairment.”
Samieh found out he was going to be a torchbearer in mid-April but was so sure it was a practical joke he even got his colleagues to check over the email.
He added: “I don’t know where I am running yet, but my brothers and sisters are really excited and just as astounded as I am this is happening.
“I’m definitely looking forward to it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I’d run it on Mars if they asked me to.”
