As part of a legacy plan following the Christchurch mosque shootings, a football club linked to the tragic event has honoured one of their own.
Mainland Football has launched a programme named in Atta Elayyan's honour after the former New Zealand Futsal goalkeeper was killed in the terrorist attack while praying inside Al Noor Mosque on 15 March, 2019.
Elayyan’s family, who have been working alongside the club, told 1News the programme was a long-term vision of his to inspire the next generation.
"We’re really humbled by this programme," his mother Maysoon Salama said.
"He was a true, genuine leader and was passionate about the game."
Salama said the programme will carry on what her son was doing at the club already.
"He was really keen to teach the younger ones," she said.
"He had a lot of young ones and he made a difference in their lives. Some of them were desperate and didn’t know how to achieve and he was really taking them under his wing.
"That was Atta."
The programme will focus on leadership and goalkeeping.
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