Welcome to Football: how Borussia Dortmund help give refugees hope
Football is an important tool in helping refugees settle under the DFL’s popular initiative. Photograph: Marie Schmidt for the Guardian
In the shadow of the towering stands of Borussia Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion just up the road, 16 refugees from around the world are engaged in a frenetic game of football. After a particularly heavy challenge, Shamil Ilqasim, a 19-year-old Yazidi from northern Iraq, limps to the sideline with a beaming smile across his face. “I’ve just hurt my leg but I’ll be back on soon, don’t worry,” Shamil, who is wearing a Dortmund shirt and shorts combined with Hertha Berlin socks, assures me.
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