On a hallowed stretch of sand on the Atlantic coast, Sierra Leone's only amputee football team comes together for practice every week. Behind their success, say the stars of the Salone Flying Squad, lie stories of hardship, camaraderie and profound personal triumph On a sunny Sunday evening in Freetown, the Salone Flying Stars are gathered on Aberdeen beach for their regular weekend practice. Unlike on other days, the sand is coated in thick layers of seaweed washed ashore from the ocean. On weekends, the beach is typically bustling with walkers, joggers, footballers, volleyball players and people doing yoga exercises, but normal services have been cut short today as the blanket of seaweed continues to spread thick.
That is until the Flying Stars arrive, determined not to let a plague of…
