PASSOBO Calls For All-Inclusive Access
Paralympics Association of Botswana (PASSOBO) has proposed upgrading of Athletes’ Village in order for people with disabilities to also access it. The facility was reopened on Tuesday after undergoing a revamp to the tune of P4.1 Million.
Speaking to Sport Monitor during the commemoration of International
Day of Persons with Disabilities last week, PASSOBO public relations officer Thuso Rrasetapa said they were pushing for Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) to upgrade the facility to allow access for people with disabilities.
“I proposed this before Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development (MYSC), Tumiso Rakgare, BNSC chairperson, Marumo Morule and BNSC chief executive officer, Tuelo Serufho. Judging from the mood, the proposal would see the light,” he said.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities is an international observance day promoted by the United Nations since 1992. Rrasetapa said the walk that started at Parliament buildings was meant to give some of the athletes with disabilities an opportunity to appreciate the facility.
Rrasetapa said people with disabilities in sport are faced with different challenges such accessibility into facilities.
“The government has set up stadiums and other facilities for sport, but accessing them is a challenge to us. They are not designed in a way that we could independent. There is no manpower to assist us at the BNSC secretariat,” Rrasetapa said.
He explained that when an athlete with disability travels to compete internationally, they have to go through vigorous processes to qualify for competitions. He added that in some instances they have to go for medical examinations.
“When an athlete on a wheelchair goes for a competition, there should a special vehicle for a wheelchair, you need someone to assist in taking care of the wheelchair. That person should be paid. In a nutshell, people with disabilities need a lot of financial assistance,” he said.
However, Rrasetapa said he was impressed by the improvement of awareness within the public. He said despite that, he would like to see all National Sport Associations (NSAs) having resource persons for people with disabilities.
He said other countries such as Angola and Sierra Leona also recognised the contribution of people with disabilities in sport.
“People with different forms of disabilities (physical disability, vision impairment, deaf or hard of hearing). The commemoration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities could have been celebrated countrywide but that was impossible due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic,” he regretted.