Youngsters honing their skills in athletics in a grassroot competition

Achondroplasia athletes (a
form of short limbed dwarfism) yesterday appealed to the National Sports Commission (NSC) to hold a separate National Sports Festival (NSF) for special athletes.
Some of them told newsmen in Lagos in separate interviews that the inclusion of more events at the NSF would allow their other colleagues to be engaged.
A F40 Shot put athlete, Deborah Agege,  said the idea for a separate NSF for the special athletes would offer opportunities for more athletes to showcase their talents.
“Sport is a very veritable tool that keeps most of us occupied, I actually like the idea of having a separate NSF, like the Paralympic.
“Olympics is different from Paralympic, it will be nice if Nigerian government can give us this opportunity. We are seriously pleading for a change of heart.
“From there, we will be able to pick who will represent the country at the world level,’’ she said.
Abigael Menu, also in F40 class, said that the NSF does not encompass athletes with disabilities, saying that organising a festival for special athletes would be appreciated.
“The government is trying its best to see that we take part in the NSF, because we have para-athletics, para-table tennis, para-powerlifting, deaf athletics and deaf table tennis.
“These events were featured at Eko 2012 but having our own version of Paralympic will not be a bad idea at all,” she said.
She also said that sports helped to make special athletes to be cherished more, noting that it gives them a sense of belonging.
“A lot of people still laugh at us because of our height, making us feel inferior. Sports bring special athletes together, it makes us have a sense of belonging,” she said.
Israel Akujor, a shot put thrower in F40 class, also said that adding more para-athletics events at the NSF would give her colleagues the feeling of competition.
“There are some of our colleagues that have never represented the country or competed nationally because their class is not always featured.
“The inclusion of new classes to the NSF would also help our colleagues whose classes are not featured to improve,” he said.
He urged the public to stop stigmatising special athletes, saying that it was the same God that created the able bodied and disabled.