Press Release

RECORD NUMBER OF ENTRIES FOR 25th ROTARY DISABLED SPORTS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

26th October  2006

More than 300 disabled athletes will compete in the 25th Rotary Disabled Sports Team Championship to be held at the Midlands Sports Centre, Tile Hill, Coventry on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th November. The games are organised by the five Rotary Clubs in Coventry with 12  teams representing Accrington, Avon, Coventry, Exhall, Gloucestershire, Leicestershire, Newark, North West, Rugby, South West, South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and  Wakefield. The athletes, physically disabled and those with learning disabilities, will compete in fifteen sports events ranging from archery, bowls, 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 16 years old. This was designed deliberately to encourage Sports Clubs for the Disabled to encourage young athletes.

The Championships are organised by five Rotary Clubs in Coventry supported by clubs across the Midlands who raise £12,000 through event sponsorship and donations to put the event on. Rotary Clubs and Districts from many other areas provide the financial support for travel and accommodation and accompany the competing teams.  On Saturday evening a Civic Dinner for 400 is being hosted by the Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Coventry Councillor Shabbir Ahmed to celebrate the 25th Anniversary.

President Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland, Peter L Offer who helped start the games twenty five years ago  will present the prizes to the winning teams. He  said “ Little did we know twenty five years ago what we were starting. I feel very proud as this event has gone from strength to strength and given an opportunity for many people to take part in competitive sport. The essential point of these sports is the ability to take part – this is the true Olympian ideal whereby the participation is more important than the winning. I congratulate the organisers for running this event down the years, what a wonderful achievement and an example of dedicated service this is.“  

During the coming year the organisers will aim to increase awareness of the Championship through RIBI and amongst those involved with Sport for the Disabled and are interested in talking to potential sponsors.