Leon Trimmingham becomes 3rd World Intellectual Impairment Sport Ambassador

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World Intellectual Impairment Sport are delighted that retired former pro basketball player of 14 years and now Program Director & Coach of the USA Basketball team for players with intellectual disabilities has agreed to become World Intellectual Impairment Sport’s America’s Ambassador.

Leon Trimmingham, known as one of NBL’s (National Basketball League – United States) best ‘dunkers’ and most popular players of all time, was born on St.Croix in the US Virgin Islands. After graduating from Briar Cliff University where he attended on a full athletic scholarship, he decided to play professional basketball internationally and in 1993 signed his first contract with Sydney Kings (Australia) where Leon still sits in the in field goal percentage, free throw attempts, free throws made, free throw percentage and blocked shots records for the Kings.

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Jessica-Jane launches the final countdown in #redcupcheer challenge

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World Intellectual Impairment Sport Ambassador and paralympic champion Jessica-Jane MBE is asking all World Intellectual Impairment Sport supporters to join her in tweeting to help World Intellectual Impairment Sport in the final stages of winning a Red Cup Grant from Starbucks!

Today we learned the great news that World Intellectual Impairment Sport is amongst the top 100 charities to receive a grant but with only days left to go until the deadline we need to do even more to help secure funds for our project to support athletes with an intellectual disability both within the UK and globally.

Please support us and tweet – “I’m supporting @inassport #Global_ID_SportsWeek win funding from @stabucksuk #RedCupCheer Campaign. Please RT to help World Intellectual Impairment Sport win!”

Supporters can also help us win by following our project page on Neighbourly’s website & sharing the link online to contribute to the social noise being calculated across the initiative.

Voting for the  #RedCupCheer challenge closes this Sunday –  6th December.

Please join Jessica-Jane MBE in doing all you can to help us win! Thank you

3 x Olympian Andy Turner becomes latest World Intellectual Impairment Sport Ambassador

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Retired GREAT BRITAIN hurdler, Andy Turner, has become the latest athlete ambassador for World Intellectual Impairment Sport.

Yorkshire based charity World Intellectual Impairment Sport, the World Governing Body for athletes with an intellectual disability announced their delight today that 2013 World Champion bronze medalist Andy has agreed to take up this role.

Andy joins 2012 Paralympian Jessica-Jane Applegate on the team Ambassador team, with further announcements expected soon.

Nick Parr, Executive Director of World Intellectual Impairment Sport said: “As the global governing body for sport for athletes with an intellectual disability, I am delighted that Andy has agreed to support our organisation and help us do even more for athletes with an intellectual disability. Although disability sport receives a greater profile than ever before, people with an intellectual disability are still too-often isolated and find it much more difficult to access sport, to compete and to aspire to be the best. World Intellectual Impairment Sport exists to change this and with Andy on board as an Ambassador we really can make a huge difference for the 130,000 athletes we support. Especially in the lead up to Rio next year.”

Andy Turner said: “As an international athlete I know just how hard it is to fit in the many hours of fundraising, training and competition that is needed to achieve success at the top level. I have always been inspired by para-athletes for overcoming the additional barriers that having a disability can sometimes create, and look forward to working with World Intellectual Impairment Sport to give more athletes with an intellectual disability the opportunity to enjoy athletics and be the very best.”

 

Great Britain swimmer Jessica-Jane Applegate MBE becomes an ambassador for World Intellectual Impairment Sport

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World Intellectual Impairment Sport is delighted to announce that Great British international para-swimmer, Jessica-Jane Applegate MBE, has agreed to become an ambassador for the organisation.

Jessica-Jane is an international GB para-swimmer who competes in the S14 (intellectual disability) classification. Her rapid progress to success started in 2011 when, aged 15, she won bronze in the 50m freestyle competition at the British International Disability Championships. Twelve months later she was selected for the London 2012 Paralympic Games – where she won gold for the 200m freestyle event in a new Paralympic and British record.

As Great Britain’s only gold-medallist in the S14 classification at the Games, Jessica was awarded an MBE in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to swimming. Jessica-Jane has continued to build on this success – accumulating more than 75 new British Swimming records and recently being awarded ‘Para-athlete of the Year’ at the 2015 British Swimming Awards.

Speaking about her new role, Jessica-Jane said: “I am very excited to become an Ambassador for World Intellectual Impairment Sport. World Intellectual Impairment Sport make it possible for people with an intellectual disability to be able to compete at an international level. They open up the pathway to enable athletes like myself to compete on the international stage against the best ID athletes in the world. I have no doubt this has helped me become the paralympic athlete I am today. I also think it is very important to support everyone that supports you. Their work as a charity is massively important to athletes at every level. Please join me in supporting them.”

Nick Parr, World Intellectual Impairment Sport Executive Director added “With such a busy training and competition schedule to maintain, we are really honoured that Jessica-Jane has accepted this role. World Intellectual Impairment Sport has ambitious plans to support more athletes in more nations, and – through her incredible performances – Jessica-Jane is an inspiration to all athletes with an intellectual disability. Her support for World Intellectual Impairment Sport will help us achieve our mission – particularly with the Rio Paralympic Games less than a year away – inspiring a new generation of athletes to get involved”.

Inaugural Global ID Sports Week set for June 2016

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PRESS RELEASE

Inaugural Global ID Sports Week set for June 2016

World Intellectual Impairment Sport – the International Federation for sport for para-athletes with an intellectual disability – has today confirmed plans for the second Global ID Sport event.

IMG-20150612-WA0103_resizedThe first Global ID Sport Day was held in 2015 and saw events taking place around the world to celebrate and promote sport for athletes with an intellectual disability. Building on the success of this first event, World Intellectual Impairment Sport is excited to announce that the 2016 event will focus activity across a whole week from 25 June to 1 July.

With events taking place across the world, Global ID Sports Week uses the scale of multiple events and activities to raise awareness, and harness corporate and media support. It is a celebration of the ability for athletes with an intellectual disability to have the opportunity to achieve excellence in sport.

The 2016 event is timed to include the 2016 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Athletics Championships (Europe) which are being held in Turkey. Further announcements will be made shortly with details of other exciting activities.

Nick Parr, Executive Director said “After the success of the event last year with activities across all 5 regions, this year’s event is set to be bigger and better. With events planned across a whole week, it gives greater flexibility for nations and partners to host more events across the world, recognising and promoting opportunities for a group of people that are all too often marginalised and excluded from sport.”

World Intellectual Impairment Sport belID Sports Weekieves intellectual disability should not be a barrier to enjoying and being the best in sport. Help us change attitudes, create opportunities and develop pathways in sport to ensure that athletes with an intellectual disability can compete at the highest possible level.

USA wins bid to host two World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Championships in 2016

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Tuesday, 10 November 15

PRESS RELEASE

USA wins bid to host two World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Championships in 2016

World Intellectual Impairment Sport are pleased to announce the awarding of the 2016 World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Cross Country Championships and 2016 World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Tennis Championships to USA.

Barry Holman, Co-Founder of Athletes Without Limits, said “over the past five years Athletes Without Limits has taken US athletes to dozens of Inas championships. In 2014 alone, US athletes competed in six countries across three continents, bringing home two world championships, multiple national records and many personal best performances. We are very proud to bring the first-ever Inas World Championships to the United States.”

8th World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Cross Country Championships

New York, USA will play host to 8th edition of the Inas World Cross Country Championships in 2016.  The event will take place at Sunken Meadow State Park Cross Country course on 2 and 3 April 2016.  With 6 of the previous 7 editions of the World Cross Country Championships being held in Europe, it will be a first for the event to be in the Americas.

The Cross Country Championships will be organized by Thunder USA who are committed to making the Championships not only a memorable competition; but an exciting and fun experience for the international field of competitors.

Sonja Robinson, Director of Thunder USA said “Thunder USA is dedicated to delivering an exceptional Championships for the athletes, coaches, dignitaries, and spectators. While we have assembled a team that has organized and staged hundreds of world class events we look forward to working with the World Intellectual Impairment Sport officials for these championships.”

Jose Costa Pereira, Inas Athletics Director said “It will be a big challenge, but at the same time very exciting to organize this great championship in a fantastic and cosmopolitan city as New York. I’m sure it will be a great event at all levels, organisational and by the outstanding performances of the participating athletes.”

7th World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Tennis Championships

Bethany Beach, Delaware, United States will play host to 7th edition of the Inas World Tennis Championships in 2016.

The event will take place at Sea Colony Beach and Tennis Resort from 12 to 18 June 2016. Boasting some 34 tennis courts and voted 2012 US Tennis Association Outstanding Facility of the Year, the venue offers great facilities for the athletes to excel.

As hosts USA will be looking to build on their performances at the 2014 Inas World Tennis Championships in France where they picked up a gold in the Women’s Singles and a silver and bronze in the Mixed Doubles competitions.

Lesley Whitehead, Inas Tennis Director said “Sea Colony Beach & Tennis Resort in Delaware, USA will be an excellent venue for the 2016 World Tennis Championships. I look forward to seeing many of our nations supporting this event which will provide excellent tennis competition for our players.”

ENDS

__________________

Notes to the editor:

Inas is the International Federation for sport for athletes with an intellectual disability within the Paralympic movement and is the recognised member of the International Paralympic Committee.

It is a global organisation that manages the eligibility process for intellectual disability sport, hosts an extensive programme of world and regional championship competitions and, through its members and partner organisations, promotes inclusion in sport around the world.

Inas’ vision is that athletes with an intellectual disability across the World have the opportunity to achieve excellence in sport and high-level competition.

Inas is a not-for-profit organisation registered in the UK (1144903).

Athletes Without Limits is the USA member organisation of Inas.

For more information regarding this press release please contact Inas.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

USA wins bid to host two World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Championships in 2016

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Tuesday, 10 November 15

PRESS RELEASE

USA wins bid to host two World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Championships in 2016

World Intellectual Impairment Sport are pleased to announce the awarding of the 2016 World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Cross Country Championships and 2016 World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Tennis Championships to USA.

Barry Holman, Co-Founder of Athletes Without Limits, said “over the past five years Athletes Without Limits has taken US athletes to dozens of Inas championships. In 2014 alone, US athletes competed in six countries across three continents, bringing home two world championships, multiple national records and many personal best performances. We are very proud to bring the first-ever Inas World Championships to the United States.”

8th World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Cross Country Championships

New York, USA will play host to 8th edition of the Inas World Cross Country Championships in 2016.  The event will take place at Sunken Meadow State Park Cross Country course on 2 and 3 April 2016.  With 6 of the previous 7 editions of the World Cross Country Championships being held in Europe, it will be a first for the event to be in the Americas.

The Cross Country Championships will be organized by Thunder USA who are committed to making the Championships not only a memorable competition; but an exciting and fun experience for the international field of competitors.

Sonja Robinson, Director of Thunder USA said “Thunder USA is dedicated to delivering an exceptional Championships for the athletes, coaches, dignitaries, and spectators. While we have assembled a team that has organized and staged hundreds of world class events we look forward to working with the World Intellectual Impairment Sport officials for these championships.”

Jose Costa Pereira, Inas Athletics Director said “It will be a big challenge, but at the same time very exciting to organize this great championship in a fantastic and cosmopolitan city as New York. I’m sure it will be a great event at all levels, organisational and by the outstanding performances of the participating athletes.”

7th World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Tennis Championships

Bethany Beach, Delaware, United States will play host to 7th edition of the Inas World Tennis Championships in 2016.

The event will take place at Sea Colony Beach and Tennis Resort from 12 to 18 June 2016. Boasting some 34 tennis courts and voted 2012 US Tennis Association Outstanding Facility of the Year, the venue offers great facilities for the athletes to excel.

As hosts USA will be looking to build on their performances at the 2014 Inas World Tennis Championships in France where they picked up a gold in the Women’s Singles and a silver and bronze in the Mixed Doubles competitions.

Lesley Whitehead, Inas Tennis Director said “Sea Colony Beach & Tennis Resort in Delaware, USA will be an excellent venue for the 2016 World Tennis Championships. I look forward to seeing many of our nations supporting this event which will provide excellent tennis competition for our players.”

ENDS

__________________

Notes to the editor:

Inas is the International Federation for sport for athletes with an intellectual disability within the Paralympic movement and is the recognised member of the International Paralympic Committee.

It is a global organisation that manages the eligibility process for intellectual disability sport, hosts an extensive programme of world and regional championship competitions and, through its members and partner organisations, promotes inclusion in sport around the world.

Inas’ vision is that athletes with an intellectual disability across the World have the opportunity to achieve excellence in sport and high-level competition.

Inas is a not-for-profit organisation registered in the UK (1144903).

Athletes Without Limits is the USA member organisation of Inas.

For more information regarding this press release please contact Inas.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

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World Intellectual Impairment Sport statement on the 2015 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games

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Today, delegations from across the World begin to return home following their participation in the 2015 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games.

Over the past week, Ecuador has witnessed some fantastic performances from the world’s best athletes with an intellectual disability.

Almost 600 athletes from 32 nations competed in the 4th edition of the Games which included competition in athletics, basketball, cycling, futsal, indoor rowing, swimming, table tennis, tennis and – for the first time in the Games – Taekwondo.

We would like to congratulate all athletes on a fantastic week of sport.

However, away from the field of play, delivery of the Games has been beset by multiple and substantial problems following the collapse of the host organisation and Local Organising Committee (LOC), the Federación Ecuatoriana de Deportes para personas con Discapacidad Intelectual (FEDEDI) who were contractually responsible for the full financing and delivery of the Games.

With support from the World Intellectual Impairment Sport team together with incredible efforts of delegations, officials, technical staff and more – competition began as planned on Tuesday 22nd September. However on that same morning, the LOC informed World Intellectual Impairment Sport that they were no longer in a financial position to deliver the Games through to their conclusion on Sunday 27th September.

Despite our extensive efforts to get competition underway, the Games were once again threatened.

The World Intellectual Impairment Sport Governing Board met and agreed that in the interests of the organisation and most importantly the athletes we represent, the 4th Global Games must continue. All 32 delegations present have worked tirelessly to secure the funding to enable their participation in the Games and athletes have trained hard to qualify and compete. The World Intellectual Impairment Sport Governing Board was determined that this would not be denied.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport therefore immediately assumed a full operational delivery role and began to put in place strategies to ensure successful delivery of the full competition programme. However with such a fundamental failure of the LOC, this was both difficult and at substantial cost to World Intellectual Impairment Sport.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport also requested the intervention of the Ecuadorian Sports Ministry who immediately began to assemble a team to help support the operational delivery of the Games but also assist World Intellectual Impairment Sport to more fully understand the circumstances surrounding the catastrophic failure of the LOC.

At times it seemed the mission to deliver the Games was impossible – such was the level of failure of the LOC – but on Saturday 26th September (following some small programming changes) competition across the entire programme came to its successful conclusion.

This was a remarkable achievement and was only possible thanks to the combined efforts of so many people. World Intellectual Impairment Sport is indebted to every single person who supported the Games this week in whatever their capacity. To all of these people, we thank you on behalf of the delegations present and all elite athletes with an intellectual disability.

We particularly thank the Ecuadorian Sports Ministry for their involvement and assistance. Without this help the Games simply would not have been possible.

In the days, weeks and months ahead there will be much analysis of the 4th World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games. World Intellectual Impairment Sport is already taking legal advice in respect of the failure of the Local Organising Committee, the circumstances surrounding the host organisation (FEDEDI) and in particular, the actions of its President, Juan Carlos Araujo.

As delegations begin to leave Ecuador, we want to thank you for your participation in these Games. To the medal winners and all the athletes, we congratulate you on your performances, and to our many friends who made these Games possible in the most difficult of circumstances we say thank you.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport will continue and will grow stronger, and in just 4 years time, we look forward to the opening ceremony of the 5th World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games in Brisbane, Australia.