Committee alleges Govt apathy to para-athletes
Source: Chronicle News Service / Sadananda Heikrujam

Imphal, September 03 2021: Paralympics Committee of Manipur secretary Moirangthem Inao said that state players can win medals at Paralympic Games with support and encouragement from the government and its relevant department.

In an exclusive talk with The People s Chronicle, Inao pointed out that there are several talented players in the state who can win.medals at the Summer Paralympic Games.

Though these para athletes are talented, they could not get the required training and support since they belong to BPL families.

They could not afford to take part in national trial and competitions or get proper training as there is no support from the department concerned.

As a result, many talented para athletes of the state are not getting the opportunity to participate in Paralympics, he said.

Upon enquiring if there is not a single state player in the Indian contingent of the ongoing Tokyo Paralympics, Inao said that none of the para athletes of the state could participate in the selection trial due to Covid-19 pandemic and financial constraints for registration fee and travelling expenses.

However, the committee will do everything in its power to send state players in the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, he said.

The secretary also said that the committee has decided to press the government to establish a training academy for para athletes with special focus on Paralympic Games by adopting modern and scientific approaches.

He further said that the committee will put its best efforts to ensure maximum participation of state players in the 2022 Asian Games and Commonwealth Paralympic Games in different events like athletics, powerlifting, wheelchair fencing, swimming, taekwondo, archery, shooting, volleyball, wheelchair basketball, table tennis and badminton.

He then appealed to the public and authority concerned to extend helping hands in the preparation.

The committee is always ready to help para athletes of the state who are willing to participate in various international games.

Several have won international titles under the guidance of the committee.

It had also successfully organised three Manipur Paralympic Games so far, he added.

Mention may be made here that the Indian athletes in the ongoing Paralympic Games are performing well.

So far, the Indian contingent had won two gold, six silver and four bronze medals.

Over 4000 players from 163 countries are competing for 539 medal events in 22 types of games in the Tokyo Paralympics.

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