Tibetan woman selected for China national football team

By Tenzin Nyidon

DHARAMSHALA, Oct 13: Dolma Kyi, a 23-year-old ethnic Tibetan football player, who is currently a member of the Sichuan women’s soccer team has been selected to join the Chinese women’s national team on October 10. She hails from from Ngaba in Amdo region of eastern Tibet.

Dolma Kyi, who is also a member of the Chinese U-19 women’s youth team, has notably participated in 14 matches while representing the Sichuan women’s soccer team, scoring a total of two goals in these games.

Her journey in football began in 2010, at the age of 10 when she was chosen to join the Sichuan Youth Women’s soccer team. This marked the beginning of her journey in the world of soccer, and she left her hometown to commence her training at the Jiuzhaigou Youth Training Base. After dedicating nearly three years to training and competing at the Jiuzhaigou Youth Training Base, she was selected for the Sichuan women’s youth soccer team.

In 2019, Kyi represented her team in the U-19 Women’s Football Asian Championship. Her dedication to the sport was evident as she played a pivotal role in the U-19 Asian Youth Women’s League in 2020, where her team emerged as champions. Notably, in the third round of the 2022 Chinese Women’s Super League match between Sichuan and Shaanxi, she made history by scoring the first-ever goal for the Tibetan Women’s soccer team. 

In an interview with a Chinese magazine, she said, “As a female Tibetan football player, many people will pay attention to my parents. In fact, my family has been very supportive of me since I began playing football. 

“For me, participating in the U-19 Women’s Asian Championship was a profoundly significant moment. It marked the first time I represented my homeland in an international competition, instilling in me a deep sense of responsibility to uphold the honour of our country and our nation.”