Launching The Virtus Academy

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Virtus – the International Federation for sport for athletes with an intellectual impairment – will today formally launch the Virtus Academy, a global hub of research, training and education.

The occasion will be marked by an online presentation with delegates from across the Virtus membership, universities and academic institutions around the world and colleagues and partners from the International Sport Federations.

The aim of the Academy is to grow the scientific evidence base to inform decision making and strategy, to support coaches and volunteers through improved education and training, and to bring together resources and guidance into a single hub.

It will operate in 5 key pillars:

  • The Athlete Lounge – providing resources and support to athletes on issues such as healthy eating, mental wellbeing and more
  • The Coaches Area – providing high quality, sport-specific and other resources to optimize their coaching practice
  • The Resource Library – featuring the latest academic and published resources and research to support the development of sport
  • The Research Hub – undertaking leading research in the field of sport for athletes with an intellectual impairment
  • The Eligibility and Classification Zone – providing training and guidance to psychologists, and supporting International Federations to develop classification and train classifiers

Project Manager, Dr Debbie Van Biesen said “For the first time, the Academy brings together the existing knowledge and expertise in this area, but also we will grow the evidence base to ensure that everything we do is driven by science and the most current data available. Virtus’ mission is to drive the development of elite sport for athletes with an intellectual impairment and the Academy is a key part of our strategy to achieve that”.

Prof. Jan Burns MBE – Virtus’ Head of Eligibility and a leading advocate of the initiative – said “I’m delighted to see the Academy come to fruition today after so much hard work by so many people. Together with Virtus’ work to deliver high-level competition for the world’s best athletes and our many projects and activities around the world to develop opportunities for people with an intellectual disability, Down syndrome and autism to get involved and excel in sport, this new addition to our programme ensures Virtus is at the forefront of scientific and research, education and training”.

To coincide with the launch, the Academy website has gone live with resources and materials available for download, including the RAID database (a searchable database of existing guides and research) and more, and is expected to grow quickly as more resources, training events and guides are added.

In June, the Academy will be launching its first research study which aims to understand the funding available to sport for people with an intellectual impairment across the world. Produced in collaboration with Sheffield Hallam University and funded by the European Union, the study aims to understand how different countries support both the participation in sport and elite athletes with an intellectual impairment, and the impact that the global pandemic has had. Van Biesen explained ‘we already know that funding to sport is being cut in many places as a result of the pandemic and sport for people with an intellectual impairment is one of the first places that these cuts take place. This research will help us ensure that people with an intellectual impairment are not unfairly targeted’.

The Virtus Academy launches on 31st May and can be visited at thevirtusacademy.com

Sam Von Einem Aiming For Gold In Tokyo

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Australian Table Tennis player Sam von Einem is one of the famous faces at Virtus and at the Paralympic Games. He’s won many medals at international and national Para Table Tennis events with his biggest achievement to date being when he grabbed the silver medal at Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Mousumi Mazumdar, Virtus’s Communications Intern caught up with him to talk about his athletic career to date and future aspirations.

Can you tell us about your background? Like how and why you started playing?

Sam: I started to play Table Tennis when I was residing in United Arab Emirates back in 2003. When my Family moved to the UAE, the weather there was very warm for a lot of the year and too warm to play my usual sports of Tennis and Soccer at the time. At home we had a Table Tennis table and at the school also they were teaching table tennis to us so I started learning and playing the game a lot with family and friends from school.

I first participated in a Table Tennis tournament when I was 11 years old after I moved back home from the UAE. I played in mainstream events around South Australia. I competed in my first International Para Table Tennis tournament when I was 18 years old in Hungary and never looked back.

Who are the people who helped you get into your sport?

Sam: The people who support me are my family (parents and my brother) and the club coach. The coach at the time helped me in my training. My mom helped me with starting the process in getting classified in para sport which give me the opportunity in playing in a Paralympic Games

What does being able to compete in sport events mean to you?

Sam: I’ve always had a big passion for sports and the opportunity to travel around the world and compete in sport events was like a big dream for me. Getting involved in Para Table Tennis made this dream into a reality and I am very grateful for the opportunities which came to me because I was involved in Para sports.

What have you learned from your past competitions that is helping you to be better at the next event?

Sam: Every event has provided me a different type of learning experience. I have learned what makes me play at my best and what to do to make sure I’m fully prepared for every match I have to play. Also, remembering that the goal is always to play well in all my matches and not everything is necessarily about winning. They have taught me valuable life lessons.

What events are you training for at the moment?

Sam: I am currently training for Domestic tournaments around Australia which will provide match practice up until the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020. In these unpredictable times when travelling overseas is very unlikely, home tournaments are keeping me busy, fit and spirits up for the big game.

If you are going to Tokyo Paralympics, tell us about how you are preparing.

Sam: I have qualified a slot for the Paralympic Games although I cannot say that I have qualified for the Games just yet. Anyways, I am preparing by training 5-6 times a week at home in Adelaide with some trips into Melbourne to train and play tournaments around Australia. I won Silver in Rio 2016 Games and I am keeping an eye on the gold this time.

What are you most excited about for the Paralympics?

Sam: Assuming I get to the Games, I am always excited to represent my country on the biggest stage for all Para Athletes. Participating in the Games is what I strive for and always very eager to play the best players in the biggest tournaments and matches.

What is your goal for the Paralympics?

Sam: As mentioned earlier, at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games I won the silver medal which is serving as a big motivation and a target to leave behind in the upcoming Games in Tokyo. I would love to turn my silver medal into Gold this time and bring it home.

What would it mean for you and your country if you brought home a Gold/Silver/Bronze medal?

Sam: Winning a medal of any colour at the Paralympics is something that will always mean a lot to myself and Table Tennis in Australia but it is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted as we have to compete with the world’s best. It will definitely be a big win for my country too.

Can you tell the readers a little about your training program?

Sam: I train 5-6 times a week playing table tennis and 3 times a week in the gym plus whatever appointments I have for example with physio, psychologist etc.

During Covid I had to stay at home for an extended period because of the restrictions that were brought in, during this time I was able to practice hits at home with my robot and do gym sessions with the equipment I had at home. It was a challenging time not being able to practice properly with another person at the end of table and being limited with the gym equipment I had and I think it was same for most of the athletes. We all just had to make the most out of what we had and that’s what I did.

What would you like to say to your family, friends or coach who support you?

Sam: I would like to say a big thank you to all my family and friends, training partners, Table tennis Australia (TTA) and the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) for always supporting and assisting me in achieving my goals and for always being there to help through the highs and lows of the elite sporting world. It is not possible to achieve great results without the support they provide me as it cannot be done by yourself.

What would you like to say to another person with intellectual impairment thinking about getting into sports?

Sam: If another person with an Intellectual Impairment wants to get into a sport, I would tell them to go for it and to remember winning isn’t everything and the main goal is to always try your best and enjoy the sport they are participating in. At the end of the day, sports is about having fun and meeting people with same interest in the sport.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for giving us your time Sam. Good luck with your practice for Tokyo 2020. We will promote and advocate for more access, more opportunities and more people to be part of the Virtus journey to inclusive sport.

Virtus Announces The Launch Of The Virtus Academy Scientific Committee (VASCOM)

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Virtus – the International Federation for sport for athletes with intellectual impairment – will enhance its research and scientific arm this month with the launch of its newly formed Scientific Committee. The VASCOM is part of the new Virtus Academy, a global hub for research and education to drive the development of elite sport for athletes with intellectual impairment and will meet for the first time in June 2021 where the main topic on the agenda will be to set the research agenda and the priorities for the next four years.
Virtus Academy Manager Debbie Van Biesen says she is truly delighted with the VASCOM and how it will serve to the growth of Virtus as an organisation. “Our aim is to grow the scientific knowledge available and ensure that activities and sport practice are delivered in an evidence-based way”.
Six newly appointed academics and practitioners, drawn from universities and research institutions across the world, will join the VASCOM, bringing a unique set of expertise together to serve Virtus athletes and coaches optimizing their health and performance. Continuous emphasis will be given on how strategies can be enhanced to disseminate scientific knowledge into coach and athlete education.
Nick Parr, Virtus Executive Director added “We are honored with the fact that six renowned researchers accepted our invitation to become VASCOM members. Virtus will be able to grow as an organisation relying on the excellent mix of men and women with different backgrounds, representing our various regions, all having a record of high-quality research in the field of sport for athletes with an intellectual impairment and coaching”.

Additional topics that will be discussed in VASCOM include research proposals on relevant fields of research for Virtus, and strategies on how to attract funding (e.g., performance enhancement, inclusion and diversity, competition opportunities during and after COVID-19, athlete health and mental health, and classification and eligibility).The VASCOM members include:

  • Dr. Sean Healy – Associate Professor of Community Health the Community Health Academic Group (CHAG) at the School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health at Dublin City University, Ireland
  • Dr. Suzie Lemmey – Senior Clinical Psychologist at Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust
  • Dr. Rob Townsend – Senior Lecturer in Sport Coaching and Pedagogy at the Huataki Waiora School of Health at the University of Waikato
  • Dr. Piet Boer – NRF-rated researcher associated at the Department of Human Movement Science at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Wellington, South Africa
  • Prof. Jan Burns MBE – Professor of Clinical Psychology at Canterbury Christ Church University, UK
  • Dr. Debbie Van Biesen – Virtus Academy Manager and post-doctoral researcher at KU Leuven (Belgium)
A full profile of each member can be found on the Virtus Academy website launching soon.

2021 VIRTUS Para Dressage Video Competition

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Once again we are delighted to launch the annual Virtus Para Dressage competition.

This is a unique competition where athletes can participate in their home environment and submit their entry by video. This is the 5th edition of the competition and each year it grows – 2021 is no different with the inclusion of II1, II2 and II3 (demonstration category) and separate results for youth and senior riders.

Entry is open to all Virtus athletes who hold a minimum of a national eligibility and full details of the tests and entry rules can be found here.

Entries close on 5th October 2021.

Updated ‘Return To Competition’ Guidance Published

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Virtus has today published an updated version of its ‘Return to Competition’ guidance which explains the steps being taken to deliver safer competition during the ongoing pandemic.

The Virtus competition programme continues to be affected by the evolving situation worldwide and changing national laws and policies surrounding travel and quarantine, however Virtus is committed to providing the most comprehensive competition programme possible in 2021, where this can be done safely.

The guidance has been developed by the Virtus Medical Committee and was discussed during a recent webinar with stakeholders including member organisations and organising committees.

The updated guidance together with any changes to the 2021 event programme can be found on the Virtus website.

Virtus Celebrates International Day Of Sport Development And Peace With #35YourWay Campaign

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The 6th of April marks the International Day of Sport Development and Peace. This United Nations day of recognition is an annual celebration of the power of sport to drive social change, community development and to foster peace and understanding. As the world recovers from the pandemic, this day celebrates the theme of resilience and the need for sport to help communities build back better.

2021 also marks Virtus 35th year following our launch in 1986. To mark the two occasions, Virtus is launching #35YourWay – to promote physical activity and to raise essential funds for Virtus.

#35 Your Way is a way to stay resilient, stay active, healthy, and positive about returning to live events.

 

The 35 Your Way campaign will run online challenges for athletes and friends, and fun ones for the whole family, via Playwaze – the online platform to compete the Challenges.

Registration fee is only £3.5 per person, per challenge. Participants can enter as many challenges; each challenge has a £3.5 fee, so 3 challenges = £10.5​. Funds raised from the entry fees contribute to the fundraising! Follow Virtus Facebook to keep updated on the leader boards.

Join the global effort.

Sport and physical activity are essential to staying fit and healthy, especially during times of uncertainty and social distancing. Physical activity improves mental health, helps beat negative thoughts, lowers stress and depression, and strengthens the immune system.

#35YourWay campaign – it is a celebration of 35 years of Virtus athletes, coaches and officials, staff and volunteers, family, friends, and supporters.

Let’s support athletes to get back into Virtus World, Regional and Global Games.

Here’s how to get involved in #35YourWay

  1. Download the Playwaze app from the usual app store or sign up via the website.
  2. The Registration fee is only GB£3.50 per person, per challenge. You can enter as many challenges as you want; each challenge has a GB£3.50 fee, so 3 challenges = £10.50
  3. Record your attempt, distance, time, or total count using an activity tracking app like Strava or manually.
  4. Challenge family and friends to join in the same challenge and compete on the leaderboard.
  5. Get family, friends, and community to donate to support your challenge.
  6. Blog about your attempts and your challenge on social media using the hashtag #35YourWay

Here’s a list of Virtus 35 Your Way challenges you can join.

  • Walk/Run/Swim 35km in 35 days OR Cycle/Row 350km in 35 days.
  • How fast can you do 35 skipping / 35 star-jumps?
  • Futsal/Football/Soccer – How many successful juggles can you do in 3.5 minutes?
  • Nothin’ but Net – Basketball/Netball – How many goal shots can you do in 3.5 minutes?
  • Racquet Ball – Table Tennis, Tennis, Badminton & Squash – How many ball-rally hits can you do in a 3.5 minute?

Help raise awareness for the positive contribution that sport can have on inclusion and human rights.

Virtus Governing Board Grows To Include A Former Elected Member Of The Michigan Senate.

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Virtus has strengthened its Governing Board by welcoming Mr. Ian Conyers as a co-opted member.  

Ian has a long relationship with Virtus through his involvement in inclusive sport within Virtus Americas region, and his position as Board Member of Athletes Without Limits (AWL) since 2015. He also serves as a board member for the ‘Big Brother Big Sister Metro Detroit’ organisation.  

He brings significant expertise having spent his career at the intersection of community technology, policy and social change in both public and private sectors. 

As a former elected member of the Michigan Senate, Ian served in that role from 2016 to 2019, working as the Minority Vice Chair of the Transportation Committee and was a member of the Economic Development & International Investment, the Energy & Technology, and the Banking & Financial Services Committees. 

In the private sector, Ian focused on early and growth-stage companies, leading Legislative Affairs. At Bright Ventures he strives to raise awareness on the lack of banking and finance and need to shift the ecosystem to drive opportunity and equity. 

“I look forward to the opportunity to increase awareness and connectivity of the Virtus’ mission to the stakeholders around the world. There is no greater time to innovate inclusively than now, as we head towards our next national and regional events, and towards the 2023 Virtus Global Games in Vichy France,” said Mr. Conyers. 

Ian is a running and skiing enthusiast and enjoys travelling having visited over 50 countries and 47 of the United States and territories.

Poland to host 2021 World Athletics Championships

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Virtus, the international federation for athletes with intellectual impairments has announced that Poland will host the 2021 World Athletics Championship.  

The event will be hosted by the Polish Sports Association Union, SPRAWNI RAZEM, the Virtus member organisation in Poland between 7th – 14th June 2021 at Bydgoszcz–Toruń.  

This will be the second Virtus event to be run under covid-safe protocols following the successful European Indoor Athletics which took place in Nantes earlier this month. It is traditionally one of the biggest events in the Virtus calendar and is expected to be one of the final qualifying opportunities for the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

Jose Costa Pereira, Virtus Athletics Director said “Firstly I want to thank our Polish member Sprawni Razem for their extraordinary efforts to host the event amidst these difficult circumstances. Virtus athletes can be assured of a great event in the beautiful town of Bydgoszcz, and we expect a very competitive atmosphere.” 

Lenine Cunha (Portugal) is the most decorated medalist in Virtus history. ‘In Bydgoszcz, it will be the eleventh Athletics Championship since my first attendance in Tunis 2001. I will try to continue to fly high in this championship too’ said Cunha. Lenine is a bronze medalist from London 2012 Paralympic Games in Men’s Long Jump F20 and is looking forward to qualifying for Tokyo.  He recently won 3 Gold (Long jump, Triple jump and High jump), two silver (4x200m relay and Pentathlon Sh-Indoor) and one bronze (4x400m) at the 2021 Virtus Indoor Athletics Championship. 

France to host Virtus World Judo Championships

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Virtus is delighted to announce that France will host the 2021 World Judo Championships, the first judo event to be run under the Virtus banner, and building upon the recent efforts to grow judo for athletes with an intellectual impairment globally.

The event will be hosted by the Fédération Française du Sport Adapté (FFSA) and will take place on 29th and 30th October 2021 at Maison des Arts Martiaux –Toulouse Judo, Toulouse, France.  

Kerry Tansey, Virtus Sport Director for judo said “Congratulations to FFSA team on winning the bid to host the World Championships this year. I am thrilled to see our judokas coming together to participate in this championship and we are anticipating an upsurge in the number of participants from previous events.”  

“Judo being an official sport with Virtus has opened new opportunities for athletes with an intellectual impairment. We are excited to seeing the returning champions and the new contenders for the titles. I wish all the athletes’ best of luck for the competition, Stay Safe.” 

Inaugural Virtus Americas Regional Games announced for 2022

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The 2022 Virtus Americas Regional Games Will Be Held In Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Virtus would like to congratulate CBDI – Confederação Brasileira de Desportos para Deficientes Intelectuais (Brazilian Confederation of Sports for the Intellectual Disabled) as the successful National Member Organisation.

This multi-sport event will take place at the Brazilian Paralympic Training Center from 18 to 23 September 2022. We hope this first Virtus regional multi-sport event in the Americas region, will help grow our reach and provide access to more athletes in more countries. With 16 countries under the Virtus Americas Memberships, the doors are open for new nations to join our global program of elite sports for athletes with intellectual impairments. This first Regional Games will showcase the very best athlete talents representing their countries, competing for medals and achieving personal best performances.

The 2022 Virtus Americas Regional Games will set a competitive schedule across these Virtus eligibility groups:

  • II1 (athletes with an intellectual disability),
  • II2 (athletes with a significant additional impairment), and
  • II3 (a trial group for athletes with autism who are not eligible in II1).

The sports program is being finalised. The following sports are currently planned for the competition schedule – Athletics, Basketball, Futsal, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, and Swimming. There may also be demonstration events following consultation with Virtus and National Members in the coming months. The Final Sports Program is subject to change and final approvals.

Virtus President, Mr. Marc Truffaut said the 2022 Virtus Americas Regional Games now secures the third Regional Games event, joining Europe and Oceania/Asia Games on the Virtus sports program for 2022.

“Congratulations to Mr. Adilson Pereira Ramos, President of CBDI, and his team for their winning bid,” Mr. Truffaut said

“I am looking forward to seeing a celebration of sport come together in the cultural and vibrant city of Sao Paulo, Brazil.”

“Through sport, Virtus and its athletes are changing attitudes, challenging perceptions and strengthening communities locally and globally” he said.

The Brazilian Paralympic Training Center features indoor and outdoor sports facilities that are used for training and competitions at Paralympic standards. In addition, it has a residential area with accommodation for 280 people, a cafeteria, laundry and an administrative sector with rooms, auditoriums, and other spaces of support.

CBDI President, Mr. Adilson Pereira Ramos said hosting the first Virtus Americas Games in Sao Paulo, with the use of world class facilities built for Paralympic training, allows athletes to experience the same stage as Paralympians.

“This event will contribute to the nation’s goal to help massify Paralympic sport in Brazil and help in the inclusion of people with disabilities in our society”, Mr. Ramos said.

“I would like to thank our key supporters in this bid – Brazilian Paralympic Committee, Municipality of São Paulo, Government of the State of São Paulo, Ministry of Sports, Brazilian Swimming Confederation – CBDA and Liga Nacional de Futsal.”

“Our vision for this event, is to shine light athletes from every part of the Americas region, where even a young man or woman, from a small town, can become a national athlete on a world stage.”

“Sport and competition is in our DNA and my team and I will be calling on our current Regional Members and hopefully new nations to bring their best athletes to put on a great competitive multi-sport event,” he said.

More information about the event program, sport, and eligibility will be shared when available.

Virtus invites interest nations and partners to stay up to date about this event via social media and website. Governments, International Sport Federations and Partners are also invited to be part of the Inaugural 2022 Virtus Americas Games.

For more information visit www.abdem.com.br and follow @ABDEMCBDI and @virtus.sport to stay updated.