Coach Lobbies For Para-Athletes Inclusion In NSF

Coach Ibrahim Sowunmi of the Lagos State Para Athletic Association has urged the National Sports Commission (NSC) to rescind its decision by including para sports in the 2014 National Sports Festival (NSF).

The 19th edition of the bi-ennial festival, tagged: “Paradise Games” would hold later in the year in Calabar, Cross River.

“Para athletes should be allowed to participate in the festival, like it was in the previous editions.

“In fact, all sports registered at the Olympics should have automatic tickets to participate at the festival.

“Any sport included in the Olympics are recognised and should also be included at the National Sports Festival because they all have the same rights,’’ Sowunmi said.

He added that the para athletes have performed remarkably and have made the country proud in moments they represented the country in international competitions.

“Excluding them at the sports festival will dampen their spirit and make them feel unwanted and not appreciated.

“We keep talking about developmental growth; to me, this is one of the avenues that can be used to develop the athletes but it is not being exploited.

“Para athletes do not get enough recognition like their able counterparts and it is the sports festival that they use in sharpening their skills and get fulfilled, as sportsmen,’’ he added.

According to Sowunmi, the sports festival is supposed to be used as a parameter to measure the preparedness of the para athletes for the Olympics.

“The festival would help motivate them to strive better, due to their disabilities and not feel neglected,’’ he added.

Para-athletes featured at the 18th National Sports Festival, tagged: “Eko 2012“ in Lagos.