Balkan nations discuss winter sport development

“Most disabled youth are protected by their parents, but ice sledge hockey is a great way to get them out there and a great way of rehabilitation if needed.”

Thirteen representatives from seven National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) in the Balkan region gathered together on Saturday (17 November) in Novi Sad, Serbia to discuss the development of Paralympic winter sport in southeast Europe.

The seven NPCs in attendance included: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia.

The meeting was held in conjunction with the 2012 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey B Pool World Championships, and it was led IPC Governing Board member Rita van Driel. Participants discussed how they could either begin or enhance alpine skiing, nordic skiing and ice sledge hockey programmes at the grassroots and elite levels in their respective nations.

“It’s good to have a development camp, but if there’s not a follow-up, it will not bring about anything,” van Driel said.

“Now, we have the Agitos Foundation and more good programmes for follow-up to really bring forward some developments for the future.”

In just the last three years, ice sledge hockey has expanded from 184 athletes in 11 countries practicing the sport to 285 athletes in 17 countries.

Russia are a great example of a successful development story, winning the B Pool World Championships this past weekend just two years after starting up their national team. Newly developed programmes in Austria, Slovakia and Finland were also shared as positive examples with the Balkan nations.

In addition, participants discussed how to get more female athletes and youth at the grassroots level to take up the sport.

“Most disabled youth are protected by their parents, but ice sledge hockey is a great way to get them out there and a great way of rehabilitation if needed,” said Tom Koester, member of the IPC Ice Sledge Hockey Sport Technical Committee.

Alpine and nordic skiing have also had major developments over the last few years, with several nations trying to establish national championship events and a greater number of races taking place each season.

Many of the Balkan nations expressed a deep interest in furthering their skiing programmes, and as Bosnia and Herzegovina are constructing a new practice facility, many agreed it could be a good idea for the NPCs in the region to work together and use that facility.

Once again, the conversation focused on how to get people involved at an early age.

“We should introduce the kids to the sport at a young, grassroots level, not at a World Championship level,” IPC snow sport manager Dimitrije Lazarovski said. “They should learn to love the sport first before competing at the elite level.”