An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir March 2017 www.dfmagazine.ie 30 | REPoRT AND PHoToS by SGT WAYNE FITzGERALD The International Military Sports Council (CISM), founded in France in 1948 and now headquartered in brussels, is one of the world's largest multidisciplinary sports organisa- tions, organising events around the world for the military forces of its 134 member countries. CISM's motto is 'Friendship through Sport' and its aim is to promote sporting activities and physical educa- tion among member nations and to foster world peace through sports. In 1946 soccer became one of the first sports organ- ised by the Armed Forces Sports Council (the forerunner of CISM), with Great Britain winning those first champi- onships in Prague. In 1975 the annual soccer championships became a biannual competition, organised every odd-numbered year until 1983, when CISM's 38th General Assembly decided to terminate the competition due to frequent unsportsmanlike conduct. The 40th General Assembly in 1985 reversed this decision and the tournament resumed under a set of regulations close to the ones in use today. In 2013 the soccer competition was separated from the CISM Summer Games and given its own place in the sporting calen- dar as the CISM Football Trophy, to be held every four years. The inaugural tournament was hosted in 2013 by Azerbaijan, with 16 participating nations. After a proposal from CISM President Col Alshino, the name was changed to the CISM World Football Cup. In the CISM European Football Champion- ships, held in Galway in 2016, Ireland qualified for the 2017 World Cup to be held in Oman. (The last time the Defence Forces played at the top level was in 2007, coming 7th in the CISM World Summer Games in India.) The 1st CISM Women's World Football Cup took place in Rennes, France during May and June of 2016, with the host nation France beating Brazil 2-1 in the final. For more on CISM visit: www.cism-milsport.org In November 2016 the squad formed up at FAI HQ, which is part of the National Sports Campus Development Authority in Abbott- stown, Dublin, where the team's preparation and training would take place in this state- the 2nd CISM World Cup Minister for State with Responsibility for Defence Mr Paul Keogh TD and FAI Chief Executive John Delaney speaking to DF players at the National Sports Campus in January 2017. Photo by Armn Adam Murphy Coy Sgt Anthony Jinks gives a motivational speech on the importance of putting on the international jersey and representing your country. Irish Defence Forces team management Cpl Thomas Hewitt and Capt Ian Snee

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