KUCHING: Special Olympics Kuching Chapter may be forced to send only athletes competing in individual events at future international meets due to financial constraint.
“We may have to send only those competing in individual events instead sending a team if the problem of getting funds still persists,” association president, Datin Dayang Mariani Abang Zain told her members during their recent annual general meeting (AGM).
“Even though we have been representing Malaysia in the past summer and winter games held overseas, unfortunately there was no strong financial support given to us to do so,” she lamented.
According to her, Sarawak athletes had represented Malaysia in the world’s Special Olympics held in Shanghai, China, Athens in Greece, Idaho in USA and recently Pyeongyang in South Korea.
They had competed many times in floor hockey which required a group of at least five athletes and one of their coaches to play. Despite playing against the much bigger size opponents from western countries, the floor hockey team had brought home a bronze from their recent stint in Pyeongyang, South Korea and a silver from Idaho, USA before that.
Dayang said the major concern when sending big groups of athletes to compete internationally is the expensive airfare.
“As far as the athletes’ welfare is concerned, we can save a lot because they were well taken care by the hosting country which had provided good accommodation, meals, local transportation arrangements and other hospitality arrangements,” she said. While the association had received generous contributions from individuals and the corporate sector but most of their donations were spent on the airfare for athletes and their coaches.
“It will be much cheaper to send our athletes to compete in individual events instead of a team because of the cost factor but this will also mean less of them will get to compete overseas,” she said on the options which the association may take to address the situation.
She however said the parents of the athletes themselves should actually play their part in helping the association to find ways to address the woes but seemingly they (parents) come from the lower income group.
“It is heartening for us to see that they did offer to help out in a small way and we appreciate their kind gesture but still there is plenty of hard work to do,” she added.
Meanwhile, Special Olympics Kuching Chapter will soon be organising a briefing for teachers involved in special education classes.
The event is expected to be jointly organised together with State Education Department (JPNS) and State Welfare Department (JKM) at the auditorium of JPNS headquarters at Jalan Diplomatik.
“We are inviting 100 teachers to attend the briefing on what Special Olympics is all about and on how they can play their part to promote students and their parents to join us,” said Dayang on the coming event which will be graced by Minister for Welfare, Women and Family Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah who is also Special Olympics of Sarawak president.