FASANOC Encourages More Participation

With the focus on assisting athletes with disabilities towards classification and qualification for International Games, the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) encourages National Federations to include athletes with disabilities in their programmes.

Badminton Fiji along with Badminton Oceania has started a programme to include athletes with disabilities under its Shuttle Time programme.

In 2012 Badminton World Federation (BWF) launched Shuttle Time to the world. A schools badminton programme supporting the principle that children should lead a healthy and active life, both in and out of school. BWF’s goal was to make badminton one of the world’s most popular and accessible school sports.

Badminton Oceania's Shuttle Time programme was created to be a positive influence in the lives of children and youth whereby its inclusion would ensure an active and healthy lifestyle despite the different challenges they face.

Badminton Fiji Vice president Andra Whiteside said working with Shuttle Time was an opportunity to get the sport easily accessible to athletes around the country.

"Shuttle Time has resources and tutors that are able to showcase the sport to a wider audience than Badminton Fiji could, so we are grateful and look forward to having more athletes including those with disabilities participating in the sport," she said.

"It began with schools, but we are moving to include athletes with disabilities and possibly have some athletes represent Fiji in regional and international Games like the Paralympics and Commonwealth Games."

Shuttle Time tutor and Badminton Fiji Development officer Josefa Matasau said the aim at the moment was to recruit more athletes with disabilities to participate in the sport.

"We notice that athletes that are in this category do not actively participate in sports for various reasons," he said.

"One major reason is accessibility and the other is just having a reason to come out and play sports."

Josefa said the aim for Badminton Fiji and Badminton Oceania was to get athletes with disabilities to not only actively participate in sports but also get that chance to represent the country.

"We would like athletes with disabilities to look ahead to the opportunity to represent the country like able bodied athletes," he said.

FASANOC Chief Executive Lorraine Mar said that sport it getting to a point where inclusion is becoming front and center of global sporting events

"And it can be seen in the increasing number of participants at each Games. .  The Birmingham Commonwealth Games is a good example with Team Fiji including athletes with disabilities in two of the seven inclusive sports at the Games.

"Naibili Vatunisolo is a shining example of inclusion and what sports can do for a person and their country," she said.

Naibili has come through the sporting ranks and was not only the flagbearer at the Pacific Mini Games and Commonwealth Games this year, but she came home with a bronze medal.

Other well known para athletes include Table Tennis’ Mere Roden and Para athlete Iosefo Rakesa.

"This is what inclusion is all about and National Federations are encouraged to include people with disabilities in their planning, where possible," she said.

Badminton Fiji is invites  athletes with disabilities to join them every Wednesday from 6pm at the Vodafone Arena.

Shuttle Time offers school teachers access to free resources, training and equipment, which support the teaching of enjoyable, safe and inclusive badminton activities to children, youth and athletes with disabilities.

Shuttle Time lessons are designed to provide participants with a positive image of badminton through many opportunities to have fun, engage with others and experience success.

Shuttle Time is currently being implemented in more than 140 countries in partnership with BWF’s Continental Confederations and Member Associations.

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