Sport Inclusion Australia joins forces with the Brisbane City Council and the Australian government to deliver 2022 Virtus Oceania-Asia Games

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Virtus Australian member- Sport Inclusion Australia (SIA) has signed a partnership with Brisbane City Council  to deliver the 2022 Virtus Oceania-Asia Games, which will build a legacy of inclusivity, diversity and accessibility in the world of sport and in the host city, Brisbane. In addition, SIA has also successfully secured funding from the Australian Government. Previously, the Brisbane City Council and the Australian government supported the 2019 Virtus Global Games in Brisbane- the world’s largest sporting event for elite athletes with intellectual impairment, and continues to demonstrate the same support and commitment to the delivery of 2022 Virtus OA Games.

“I am confident that the partnership between Council and Sport Inclusion Australia will lead to positive outcomes for both organisations and more importantly, bring together our city and community in the spirit of sport for all.” – Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner.

Earlier in February, the Australian Minister of Sport- Richard Colbeck announced Government investment of almost $2 million, which will aid Sport Inclusion Australia to host upto 1000 international athletes and officials at the upcoming Virtus Oceania/Asia Regional Games in less than 8 months from now.

Senator Richard Colbeck said, “OA Games 2022 will build on the success of GG2019 Brisbane Games and raise awareness of inclusive sport to a new level, with a clear focus on engagement and participation of our Pacific neighbours, as we head to the 2032 summer Paralympics in Brisbane.”  

“Australia keeps attracting major sporting events because of our well-justified reputation as an excellent host of world class international sporting competitions. The OA Games 2022 is a great addition to the huge line-up of major competitions ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games”. Minister Colbeck said.

At a time when sport for athletes with an intellectual impairment is losing funding in many nations due to the consequences of the global pandemic, this is an historical achievement for Virtus member Sport Inclusion Australia and testament to the fantastic example of how government,  NGOs,  and sport  can work together to create opportunity for people with an intellectual impairments and to showcase their talent. 

Virtus Vice-President and CEO of SIA- Robyn Smith expressed how the Games marks an important opportunity to showcase the abilities of those who live with an intellectual impairment. 

“With an estimated 2 to 3 percent of the world’s population having an intellectual impairment, the OA Games highlights the immense ability of the athletes and the power of sport to change attitudes, challenge perceptions, and strengthen communities locally and globally” Ms Smith said.

 

The 2022 Virtus OA Games are all set to be staged in Brisbane from 5-11 November. Around 1000 participants from over 25 nations across the Asia and the Pacific region are expected to participate in the inaugural Regional Games.  OA Games is a multi-sport event including international sanctioning and classification for athletics, swimming, table tennis, leading to the Vichy 2023 Global Games and the summer Paralympic Paris 2024. In addition, it will also host the World Para Sailing Championship for the first time.

Find out more about OAGames Facebook page  and Sport Inclusion Australia here.

AAU to support Taekwondo players representing USA at the upcoming 2022 Virtus Americas Games

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Virtus USA member organization- Athletes Without Limit (AWL) and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) announced a partnership to support the qualified Taekwondo athletes representing team USA at the upcoming 2022 Virtus Americas Games. The games are scheduled to be held at Sao Paulo, Brazil from 18th to 23rd September where hundreds of best elites will be competing across six sports- Taekwondo, Athletics/Track, Basketball, Futsal, Table Tennis, and Swimming at the Americas Regional Games.

“AAU Taekwondo is excited about our partnership with Athletes Without Limits and Virtus! As the only organization committed to growth at the grassroots level, we are honored to be chosen to host the team trialsand offer new opportunities to these amazing athletes.” said Bobby Stone, AAU National Sports Chair for Taekwondo.

AAU will be sponsoring up to twelve Para Poomsae athletes in both male and female categories in each age group (Under 30 and Over 30) across all three categories, i.e., II1 – Intellectual Impairment; II2 – Down Syndrome; II3 – Autism.

The selection will be done during the AAU National Championship in Las Vegas, from 3rd to 9th July. In addition, AAU has also committed to fund coaching or staff position.

“This is a substantial investment by the AAU in building the best Taekwondo team in the world. By supporting players with intellectual disabilities across all genders, classes and age groups equally, the AAU is putting the USA in a position to build deep teams and ensure all deserving athletes have the opportunity and support to represent the USA at the highest levels” says Barry Holman, AWL President.

Interested Taekwondo players from USA should visit the Athletes Without Limits website for more information.

Read full article here.

Virtus statement on the ongoing crisis in Ukraine

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(In ESP and FRA below)

The Virtus Governing Board are extremely concerned about the situation that has arisen in the Ukraine and condemns, in the strongest terms, the violence that the world is witnessing.

Our thoughts are with our member organisation – the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine – its staff and volunteers at this time and in particular, with people with an intellectual impairment who are often amongst those most vulnerable in a situation of conflict.

Sport brings people together and has the power to overcome dispute, violence and division.

We call upon international organisations and all governments to bring about the swiftest possible resolution to this situation for the safety of Ukrainian people and to do everything they can to support people with an intellectual impairment – on all sides of the conflict – who have been affected.

The response of the sporting community worldwide is changing rapidly and we recognise the position taken by the International Paralympic Committee, of whom we are a member, and a growing number of International Federations of sport with whom we work in partnership. Virtus will be considering the options we have available to us to ensure we uphold our values and beliefs and promote fair sport and competition.

The Governing Board will be meeting as soon as possible to determine what further steps may be taken and a further statement on this will be made at the earliest opportunity.

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ESP

La Junta de Gobierno de Virtus está extremadamente preocupada por la situación que ha surgido en Ucrania y condena, en los términos más enérgicos, la violencia que el mundo está presenciando.

Nuestros pensamientos están con nuestra organización miembro, el Comité Paralímpico Nacional de Ucrania, su personal y voluntarios en este momento, y en particular con las personas con discapacidad intelectual que a menudo se encuentran entre los más vulnerables en una situación de conflicto.

El deporte une a las personas y tiene el poder de superar las disputas, la violencia y la división.

Hacemos un llamado a las organizaciones internacionales y a todos los gobiernos para lograr la resolución más rápida posible de esta situación por la seguridad del pueblo ucraniano y hacer todo lo posible para apoyar a las personas con discapacidad intelectual, en todos los lados del conflicto, que se han visto afectadas.

La respuesta de la comunidad deportiva mundial está cambiando rápidamente y reconocemos la posición adoptada por el Comité Paralímpico Internacional, del cual somos miembros, y un número creciente de Federaciones Deportivas Internacionales con las que trabajamos en asociación. Virtus considerará las opciones disponibles para garantizar que defendemos nuestros valores y creencias y promovemos el deporte y la competencia justa.

La Junta de Gobierno se reunirá lo antes posible para determinar qué pasos adicionales se pueden tomar y se hará una declaración adicional al respecto lo antes posible.

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FRA

Le conseil d’administration de Virtus est extrêmement préoccupé par la situation qui s’est déroulée en Ukraine et condamne, dans les termes les plus forts, la violence dont le monde est témoin.

Nos pensées vont à notre organisation membre, le Comité national paralympique ukrainien, à son personnel et à ses bénévoles en ce moment, et en particulier aux personnes ayant une déficience intellectuelle qui sont souvent parmi les plus vulnérables dans une situation de conflit.

Le sport rassemble les gens et a le pouvoir de surmonter les conflits, la violence et la division.

Nous appelons les organisations internationales et tous les gouvernements à parvenir à une résolution la plus rapide possible de cette situation pour la sécurité du peuple ukrainien et à faire tout leur possible pour soutenir les personnes handicapées mentales, de tous les côtés du conflit, qui ont été touchées.

La réponse de la communauté sportive mondiale évolue rapidement et nous reconnaissons la position prise par le Comité international paralympique, dont nous sommes membre, et un nombre croissant de fédérations sportives internationales avec lesquelles nous sommes partenaires. Virtus examinera les options disponibles pour s’assurer que nous respectons nos valeurs et nos convictions et promouvons le sport et la compétition équitables.

Le conseil se réunira dès que possible pour déterminer quelles autres mesures peuvent être prises et une nouvelle déclaration sera faite dès que possible.

Italy to host First Beach Soccer tournament for athletes with intellectual impairments

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© Beach Soccer Department of the Lega Nazionale Dilettanti

The Beach Soccer Department of the Lega Nazionale Dilettanti will be hosting the first ever beach soccer for athletes with intellectual impairments and Down Syndrome. The event will commence from 5th to 8th May in Lignano Sabbiadoro.

Italian Virtus member-  FISDIR (Federazione Italiana Sport Paralimpici degli Intellettivo Relazionali) in collaboration with Lega Nazionale Dilettanti Beach soccer department will be organizing the event.

Roberto Desini from Beach Soccer Department of Lega Nazionale Dilettanti showed his full support this tournament and emphasized on the importance of such initiative to build an inclusive society.

“The social responsibility and inclusion are some of the pillars of our mission, and beach soccer, thanks to its integrating dimension, cannot be an outsider to these kind of initiatives around athletes with disabilities”, he said.

Trofeo Beach Soccer- Categoria C21 is recognized with ASD Sports21 Italia and have revised their rules to be more inclusive for this particular group. 

Interested teams from Italy may contact FISDIR for more details.

Erasmus+ funding for IDEAL 2.0 project awarded to Virtus

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We are delighted to announce that Virtus has been awarded the Erasmus+ Sport funding for the IDEAL 2.0 project. The grant has been secured for the next three years. This is the second time for Virtus to be partner in the award-winning consortium. Earlier, Virtus had received the Erasmus+ grant in 2017 and was one of the proud partners in the successful IDEAL project. The resources for coaches generated through that project have contributed to the launch of Virtus Academy, which is a global hub for research, training, and education of elite ID-sport. 

Building upon the outcomes of the first IDEAL project, and considering the COVID-19 situation, a new consortium was built to address the needs and priorities in the field of Inclusive and Equitable sport. The IDEAL 2.0 will be coordinated by KU Leuven in Belgium, in collaboration with four other research institutions (Miguel Hernandez University of Elche in Spain, Reykjavik University in Iceland, Jozef Piludski University of Physical Education of Warsaw in Poland, and Dublin City University in Ireland). 

IDEAL 2.0 stands for “Inclusive and Equitable sport for people with Intellectual disability (ID) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)”. IDEAL stands for: 

Include (create awareness within society about Inclusivity in sport),  

Develop (translate Evidence-based practices successfully to sport professionals), 

Educate (teach coaches and support staff on how to organize adapted sport training), 

Activate (address the relevant social-determinants of inactivity) and 

Lead (foster leadership and personal development skills of our athletes)

Virtus’ role in the project is to contribute to the development of coaching resources and raising awareness about the high-level achievements of athletes with ID. Virtus is in a unique position being able to connect with athletes and coaches worldwide, as the world intellectual impairment sport organisation.  

Dr. Debbie Van Biesen, Virtus Academy Manager says, “IDEAL 2.0 is a groundbreaking and innovative project. With Virtus involved as one of the partners in this ambitious project, all Virtus members, athletes and coaches will benefit from exposure to evidence-based examples of good practice. Virtus will contribute to create a future sport policy promoting sport in a fully inclusive and equitable way.”  Dr. Debbie is also working as a Post Doctoral researcher at KU Leuven, who will be working actively in the IDEAL 2.0 project.

Being active is a public health priority focus, but having ID and/or ASD is related to lower PA levels, increased sedentariness, and an associated increased risk of health problems (e.g., diabetes, obesity), and low physical fitness. In addition, in many countries, majority of young people with intellectual disability (ID) and/or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have fewer opportunities to become physically active or to access sport which is a harsh reality. Moreover, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has caused further restriction to the PA routines of the marginalized population of youth with ID/ASD, exacerbating the physical and mental disparities they experience. 

The IDEAL project is going to instigate the changes in the society towards a more inclusive world, especially those with intellectual impairments and/or autism. The overall goal of the IDEAL 2.0 project is to facilitate equitable and inclusive access to sport and PA for young people with ID/ASD. In an IDEAL world, everyone has the right to participate on an equal basis with others in society, including in physical activity (PA) and sport.   

 

 

Phase 1 consultation of IPC Classification Code review makes strong progress

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From the IPC website, 21.2.2022

After nearly a year of remote meetings, the Code Drafting team met in person from 9th to 11th  February in Bonn, Germany where the stakeholder’s feedback was analysed from Phase 1 of consultation, that took place from March-September 2021. The team was formed in March 2021 to lead the review process and present it to the IPC.

According to the IPC Code Drafting team chair, Scott Field, strong progress has been made while the Phase 1 consultation of the Classification code ended.

Progress was made on a range of key themes: the principles of classification, eligible impairments; intentional misrepresentation; athlete evaluation, and with it the role of remote technology; and strengthening the international standards on classifier personnel and training and data protection.

During the second phase of consultation, the team will present the new working drafts for the Codes and Standards, and invite feedback.

“Having such a group of dedicated individuals, with various backgrounds and expertise representing all corners of our membership, including athlete representation, shows the strength of our Movement and will no doubt lead to the development of classification in the coming years. We are grateful to all of our members and wider stakeholders for their input in this multi-year review project”  says Tea Cisic, IPC Head of Classification.

Classification performs two critical functions: it determines which Para athletes are eligible to compete in a sport; and it groups athletes into sport classes which aim to ensure that the impact of impairment is minimised, and sporting excellence determines which athlete or team is ultimately victorious.

According to IPC, the current 2015 Athletes Classification codes and accompanying international standard will remain fully effective until the new Code’s implementation date. At the moment, it is anticipated that the new IPC Athlete Classification Code will be January 2025 for summer sports and July 2026 for winter sports.

For more information on Classification Code team and Code review process, click here.

Virtus Sport Council meet to discuss 2022 programme

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After 2 years of disrupted events due to Covid-19 pandemic, Virtus is looking forward to a busy events calendar in 2022 with important World Championships and Regional Games scheduled.   

 This week, the Virtus Sports Directors and Regional Virtus Organisations who form its Sports Council came together online to receive updates across a number of topics including competition planning, doping control protocols, and progress in the roll-out of new eligiblity categories II2 and II3.   

 The event program begins in June with the Virtus World Football Championships in France where the world’s top-8 ranked teams will compete for the World Cup title and this is followed in July by the 2022 European Games which will be taking place in Cracow, Poland. Virtus polish member Sprawni-Razem will be hosting the event from 16th to 24th July and is the second edition of event.  

 In September, the inaugural 2022 Americas Games which will be held in Sao Paolo, Brazil, hosted by CBDI – Confederação Brasileira de Desportos para Deficientes Intelectuais (Brazilian Confederation of Sports for the Intellectual Disabled). The event will commence from 18th to 23rd September in the Brazilian Paralympic Training Centre.  

 The final Regional Games will be the 2022 Oceania-Asia Games which will be held in Brisbane, Australia from 5th to 12th November. Sport Inclusion Australia will be staging the event.  

 The Regional Games are a key qualification event to the 2023 Global Games – the world’s largest event for elite athletes with an intellectual impairment – which take place in Vichy, France.  

Virtus Vice President Robyn Smith receives OAM

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Virtus would like to congratulate its Vice President Robyn Smith on being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for services to people with a disability through sport.

Robyn has been Chief Executive of Australia’s member organisation Sporting Inclusion Australia since 1991, joining the Board of Virtus in 2011 and becoming Vice President in 2013.

More recently, Robyn led the Organising Committee of the 2019 Virtus Global Games in Brisbane and, in 2021, was elected to the Governing Board of the International Paralympic Committee.

“It is a privilege to be recognised and receive this award for a role that I cherish. I am just as passionate today as I was in 1991 when I started with Sport Inclusion Australia to represent and advocate for social inclusion of people with a disability using sport as the medium. I am also extremely thankful to Marie Little OAM for providing me this opportunity and all Board members since who have supported me. I am humbled to accept his honour on behalf of the movement and all the athletes we represent who continue to inspire me on a daily basis.”  Smith said.

On behalf of the entire Virtus family, we would like to congratulate Robyn on this fantastic award which recognises more than 30 years commitment to people with an intellectual impairment in sport.

Five World records broken at 2021 Virtus Swimming Championships

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After five days of action packed events, the 2021 Virtus Swimming Championships have closed in Montlucon, France. Initially, the event was scheduled to be held in Brazil, however the Covid pandemic disrupted the plan and the French Virtus Member Organisation ‘Fédération Française du Sport Adapté (FFSA)’ stepped in to deliver a fantastic event.

The event was the last in the Virtus’ competition calendar for the year 2021.

Despite the many hurdles faced by organisers and participants, the event was tremendous.  The swimmers achieved some amazing times, and in the II2 eligibility group (for athletes with intellectual disability and significant additional impairment) 5 new World and European Records were set, a testament to the hard work and dedication of the athletes and their coaches in these difficult times.

Camino Martinez de la Riva Spain broke two World records in II2 category.

New World Records:

II2 Women

Camino Martinez de la Riva (Spain) World record in 400m and 200m Freestyle- II2

  1. 200m Individual Medley- Cléo Renou (France)- 3:23.21 sec
  2. 400m Freestyle – Camino Martinez de la Riva (Spain)- 6:13.24 sec
  3. 200m Freestyle – Camino Martinez de la Riva (Spain)- 2:55.01 sec

II2 Men

  1. 200m Individual Medley – Guillermo Gracia Nunez (Spain)- 2:54.55 sec
  2. 100m Butterfly – Axel Belig (France) – 1:13.78 sec

Virtus Swimming director, Dave Harman said, “Everybody at the event should feel immensely proud of this achievement, the LOC, French officials and volunteers, and the athletes and teams who persevered through stringent Covid protocols to attend. For a small event it has made a big impact, giving athletes a much needed competition opportunity with World and Regional Records, and giving the French LOC experience in developing and delivering a major event in readiness for the Global Games in 2023. From me, as the Virtus Swimming Director, I applaud everybody involved, and thank the organizing committee for their hard work and dedication, this is what Virtus sport is all about, success in the face of adversity.  Thank you all, and very well done.”

Full results are available here.

Gold Coast to host first Para Sailing World Championships in 2022

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The inaugural Para Sailing World Championship will be staged in Gold Coast, Australia, 5 – 12 November 2022, for Hansa 303 class sailors from all around the world.

A World Championship deserves a World Class athlete and sailor at the helm. There’s none better than three-time Olympic Medallist, Matthew Belcher OAM, who is coined the most decorated Australian sailor in Olympic history, and the Australian Sailing 2021 Male Sailor of the Year.

Matthew ‘Mat’ Belcher has accepted the role of Ambassador for this Para Sailing World Championship event, and in his first official role, has the honour of announcing the event at today’s media launch.

The Championship is sanctioned by World Sailing, world governing body for the sport of sailing and supported by Virtus, the International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments. Both organisations formed a partnership in 2019 and made a commitment to work together to grow a sustainable future for sailors with intellectual impairments.

World Sailing President, Mr. Quanhai Li, said he is pleased to announce that Southport Yacht Club on Queensland’s Gold Coast in Australia will host the Inaugural Para Sailing World Championship for Athletes with Intellectual Impairment in November 2022.

“On behalf of World Sailing, I would like to extend an invitation to sailors with intellectual impairment from around the world to compete in these inaugural Championships,” Mr. Li said.

“The inaugural Championships will be held as part of the Virtus Oceania Asia Games 2022, enhancing the opportunity for our sailors to be part of a major multi-sport event.

“I would like to thank Virtus and the Oceania Asia Games organisers for including sailing as part of the overall Games program.”

Virtus President, Mr Marc Truffaut said that welcoming World Sailing to the Virtus family, signals a message of collaboration to grow and create new sport opportunities for elite athletes.

“We are committed to growing sailing for athletes with intellectual impairments and know that together, we can offer more high-level competition opportunities and make a huge impact around the world,” Mr Truffaut said.

“Building strategic partnerships with International Federation of Sport partners helps to amplify the work we do at Virtus, to raise the visibility and participation of athletes in all sports.”

As the ambassador, Mat Belcher will inspire sailors from all corners of the globe. In addition to his Olympic successes, Mat is a ten times World champion, and Australian Male Sailor of the Year for the sixth time. He has dedicated over 20 years in the pursuit of Olympic success.

“It is a real honour to be the World Sailing Ambassador,” Mr Belcher said.

“I am so lucky to have the opportunity to sail and do something I love every day, and as Ambassador, I want to champion how sailing can be for people of all abilities.”

“I am blessed to be part of the Southport Yacht Club sailing community, and to announce the first official World Championship conducted for Athletes with intellectual impairment, in my home town and local club, is just priceless.”

“When I see sailors on the water, like the ones from Sailability Gold Coast, a voluntary not-for-profit organisation who assist people of all abilities to get into sailing, it makes me proud to give back to the sailing community.”

Commodore Ken Tregeagle said the “Southport Yacht Club has had a long and proud history of sailing on the Gold Coast since 1946.”

“Hosting this internationally recognised world championship is a great honour for Southport Yacht Club,” said SYC Commodore, Ken Tregeagle.

“No doubt the fact that we host international standard sailing and training vents for the intellectually impaired at Hollywell has contributed to  SYC being named as the venue for this World Championship.”

“To also have our Olympic Champion Mat Belcher, as an Ambassador is a proud achievement for Mat, and equally a proud moment, to see one of our local sailors excel so greatly in world sailing.”

“We are also very proud in having partnered with Sailablity since 1997 and together we  provide such a wonderful service to our community. Our Gold Coast waterways are amongst the best water ways in the world and these World Championships will certainly showcase them to the entire world.”

This event is significant for so many reasons and with many firsts. Today also marks the United Nations’ International Day of Persons with Disabilities, IDPWD2021 and is a fitting backdrop to the theme of Fighting for rights in a post Covid era, and how applicable this is to the global para sport movement.

CEO of the Oceania Asia Games 2022 Organising Committee, Ms Robyn Smith reflects on the critical importance of collaboration to launch and deliver the inaugural Para Sailing World Championship and Virtus Oceania Asia Games 2022.

“When all levels of the Australian Government signalled their support for Sport Inclusion Australia, to host the Virtus OAGames in Brisbane, it allowed planning on what sports could be included,” Ms Smith said

“When approached by World Sailing to conduct the Para Sailing World Championship as part of the OAGames Sports Program, we were delighted as it further drives our mission – inclusion for all.”

“When Champion athletes generously give their time and energy to promote and elevate the inclusion of para-athletes on the world stage, it encourages people to become involved.”

“I would like to acknowledge all the stakeholders on board, World Sailing and World Para Sailing, Virtus, Southport Yacht Club, Sailability, Matthew Belcher, and look forward to making the Championship and the OAGames 2022 a successful blueprint toward Sport for Humanity.”