A FOOTBALLER may miss out on playing in this year’s Deaflympics because of funding cuts.

Ollie Monksfield, who is severely deaf, was selected to play for the GB squad at the Games in Taipei this September.

But after the Government diverted funds from UK Deaf Sports to help pay for the 2012 Olympics, Mr Monksfield will have to raise £3,000 to pay for flights and accommodation himself.

The 27-year-old, who is also a PE teacher at Heathcote School, Chingford, said: “I’m just shattered. I’m representing my country and I’m not getting funding for something that should be funded.

“From Melbourne in 2005, because we won gold, I would have thought we were almost guaranteed funding.”

And he added that he has previously faced difficulties because of being deaf.

“I would love to have made it professionally but I was let down because of my hearing impairment,” he said.

“I’m not going to mention the club that held me back but I just felt people thought it was another hassle to worry about.”

Mr Monksfield, of Endlebury Road, Chingford, is still a long way from his target but thanked his colleagues at Heathcote for their support.

He said: “They’ve been absolutely fantastic - they’ve supported me massively in terms of my international duties.

“I want to say thanks to Heathcote School and the PE department.”

If he makes it to Taipei, it will be the third time he has played at an international level, after winning gold in Melbourne in 2005 and silver in the European Football Championships in Lisbon in 2007.

A spokeswoman at the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport said: “Difficult funding decisions have to be made. With its remit now fully focused on achieving this target, UK Sport has directed its limited public funding accordingly and is now no longer able to provide funds to UK Deaf Sport.

“We welcome the substantial funds pledged by donors to UK Deaf Sport in recent months and remain optimistic about them being able to attend the games in Taipei.”

To support Mr Monksfield, visit justgiving.com/olliemonksfield, or to support the team, visit justgiving.com/footballgb