Forum Brief: Disabled people in sport

Work and pensions minister Maria Eagle has this week attended a Football Association event at the Arsenal Football Club highlighting plans to increase the participation of disabled people in sport.

Maria Eagle, minister for the disabled, said: "The FA's work to include disabled people at all levels. I welcome their efforts to promote disability football. I also want to congratulate the FA, who have been vindicated by how successful this scheme's results have clearly been."

Forum Response: Rotary International

A spokeswoman for Rotary International told ePolitix.com: "Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland welcome government plans to increase the participation of disabled people in sport.

"Rotary has organised the Rotary Disabled Sports Championships annually for the last 22 years and knows from first hand experience the tremendous benefit sporting participation offers.

"Last year more than 300 disabled athletes participated in the finals at the Midlands Sports Centre, Coventry. The athletes compete in twelve sports events ranging from archery, basketball, darts and table tennis to swimming and weightlifting.

"The aim of the championships is to promote team spirit and it is a condition of entry that each team has one boy or girl under the age of 18 years old. This was designed deliberately to encourage disabled sporting clubs to encourage young athletes. The youngest athlete who performed this year is just nine years old and the oldest is 67.

"The championships are organized by five Rotary clubs in Coventry and they are supported by other Rotary clubs from many other areas. The Coventry clubs raise £12,000 through donations and sponsorship to put the event on. Rotary is proud to be associated with this event which gives wonderful athletes the opportunity to take part in competitive sports, at the same time engendering team spirit.

"The goal of every athlete is to pit their prowess against others to establish who is the best. But the essential point of these sports is also the ability to take part at this level.

"In addition to the £12,000 that the Coventry clubs raise, Rotary clubs and districts raise the money for travel and hotel accommodation for the team from their area.

"In the early years of the Rotary English Disabled Sports Team Championship a separate event was held for children from special schools, this championship got so large that it is now held as a separate games with several schools taking part.

"In Wales, Rotarians have been holding a Welsh Disabled Sports Team Championships, for some 19 years, modelled on the English Championship. Many other Rotary districts hold similar events.

"Three years ago the Foundation of Rotary International asked clubs worldwide to consider new projects to held young people. Following this the Foundation made a ,000 grant to the Rotary Club of Coventry Jubilee, for research into sport for the very severely disabled, that is people who, may not have or are not able to move limbs.

"This is progressing well and Rotarians are working with special schools and computer firms to develop computer sports games that can be played in various ways by just moving a part of the body such as an ear or the blink of an eye. This is adding yet another avenue for sport that many would never be able to take part in.

"During the coming year the organizers of the championships will aim to increase awareness amongst those involved with Sport for the Disabled. Rotary would be pleased to share experience and best practice and are interested in talking to and working with like minded groups."