Athlete with Down syndrome to help referee

Moscow, June 13: A young Russian athlete with Down syndrome will help the referee with the coin toss that decides which team kicks off the 2018 FIFA World Cup opening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia on Thursday.

Angelina Makarova, age 12, appeared on Wednesday at a media event alongside her mother Olga Makarova at FIFA’s press centre in Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, the venue of the opening match, reports Efe.

“Angelina started swimming when she was very young, and since then she never stopped doing it, and took classes at the swimming federation for people with intellectual disabilities when she was eight,” Olga said. (IANS)