Wheelchair rugby and basketball athletes from around the world met in Siem Reap in Cambodia for the first International Wheelchair Sports Exchange, thanks to support from the DF&TR industry, according to NGO Soulcial Trust.

The two-week exchange, which included sharing of cultures, disability education and training techniques, was organised by NGO Soulcial Trust and sponsored by Swiss research agency m1nd-set and India’s Bommidala Group.

Soulcial Trust started the wheelchair basketball trainings at ICF Campus Arena back in September 2017, as reported.

MOTIVATED BY SEASONED ATHLETES

The two-week exchange featured rigorous training sessions, basketball and rugby matches, workshops on identifying new rugby players, and building awareness of disability by introducing children in Cambodia to wheelchair sports. Professional quad rugby players from France and India also attended the event to help develop the team.

“Having the opportunity to train with seasoned athletes was really important for motivating the players,” stated Soulcial Trust programmes director, Genni Low. “The exchange was really important in helping our team develop the disciplines needed to compete and train others.”

According to Soulcial Trust, this is the first of a planned three-year exchange. In 2018, athletes from the different teams will travel to France, and in 2019, India.

“Funds permitting, we’ll be looking to develop the team here and send them to Bangkok for the Asia Paragames Qualifiers in 2018, as well as expand the trainings to include children and youth with disabilities,” added Low.

INSPIRATIONAL AWARD

The two-week exchange concluded with an award ceremony, where two players who displayed the most supportive attitude and contributed the most to the development of their fellow team players were honoured with ‘The Ian McInnes Award’.

“The honour was created and so named in memory of a dear friend of mine who passed away in hospital in his hometown of Edinburgh on Monday 27 November, as the exchange was underway,” explained Soulcial Trust director, Michael Barrett.

“He suffered from a rare genetic disease, and throughout his NGOlife he defied all the odds and doctors’ predictions that he would not survive beyond the age of 25. It was cancer, not his long-term disease, which finally overcame Ian, who passed away at age 48.

“He was an inspiration to me and many others, as despite his physical disability and being wheelchair bound, he lived life to the full, doing everything from mountaineering with me to bungee jumping and parachuting.”

The Ian McInnes Award will be given annually during the International Wheelchair Sports Exchange, confirmed Soulcial Trust.