PARA SPORTS READY FOR TAKEOFF

BY SHAFIEK MOUTON

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE (UWC) has embarked on a renewed journey to further promote para sports and simultaneously improve inclusivity in its community.

AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS INITIATIVE IS SIHLE MAPHUKATHA, chairperson of the UWC Student Sports Council. He says: “We are trying to promote participation in para sport within our community. The UWC recreational programme is the foundation to encourage and promote mass participation in recreational games, and that includes student athletes with disabilities.

“OUR GOAL, ultimately, is to participate at University Sports South Africa level in these para sports, which will definitely speak to the aspect of inclusivity for all in the UWC community. We will only reach these targets once we offer more sporting codes and have students actively participating in these codes.’’

FRANCE, the scene of the Springboks’ 2023 Rugby World Cup victory, is hosting the Paralympic Games in 2024. The programme of 22 sporting codes and 549 events takes place from 28 August to 8 September and is the ultimate goal for athletes with disabilities.

SO, WHAT SPORTS DOES UWC CURRENTLY OFFER TO ATHLETES WITH DISABILITIES?

“This drive or campaign is still in its infancy,” says Maphukatha, who has a master’s degree in computer science. “We currently have a few codes that are actively running on campus. That being said, we are hoping to add a few more in the near future.

“AT THE MOMENT we have chess and table tennis, we have partnered with UCT to accommodate our student to join wheelchair racing and wheelchair rugby.

THE DEPARTMENT OF SPORT, RECREATION AND EXERCISE SCIENCE and the DIFFERENTLY ABLED STUDENTS ASSOCIATION are in talks about transporting students to the University of Cape Town (UCT) for training. The recreational programme really speaks to inclusivity as we are proud to say that we include campus staff, security staff and cleaners in our games. We even hosted some of our para athletes at a recent Varsity Cup game just to give them a better feeling and understanding of mainstream sports.’’

THE 31-YEAR-OLD MAPHUKATHA, who hails from Tsolo in the Eastern Cape, says UWC Student Sports Council is combining its efforts with the other Cape universities. “We are forming partnerships with the UCT, Stellenbosch and Cape Peninsula University of Technology and have already had a successful workshop,” he says.

“THE AIM is to work closely with universities which have already established para sport programmes. The workshop was attended by all these institutions, the athletes as well as their managers and administrators. This gives an indication as to how serious we are about growing UWC para sport and including student athletes with disabilities.’’

ABOUT 3.7 MILLION SOUTH AFRICANS –6% of the population – live with some form of disability. However, those with disabilities make up less than 1% of the total student population.