Agitos Foundation grant helps Inas build athlete pool in Africa

Although 120 athletes within the classification group competed at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, none of them represented Africa, which is something Inas wishes to see change in 2016.

Inas, the International Federation for sport for athletes with an intellectual impairment, delivered a workshop last week for representatives from national sports organisations across Africa.

The workshop, funded by the Agitos Foundation, was designed to help promote sport for athletes with an intellectual impairment and encourage greater competition opportunities.

More than 40 delegates received presentations on topics including eligibility and classification of athletes and an overview of the Inas sport and competition programme. The event was hosted by the Federation Camerounaise Des Sports Pour Deficients Intellectuals (FECASDI) in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Inas President, Amaury Russo thanked the delegates, saying “Inas has set itself a target to grow its activities in areas such as Africa. I am delighted by the enthusiasm and ideas to promote sport for athletes with an intellectual disability, and very much hope to see out first Inas Africa Regional events taking place soon.”

The project was funded by a grant from the Agitos Foundation and it is hoped that through the project, Inas can establish new and sustainable links across Africa which will see more athletes with an intellectual impairment competing in Inas and Paralympic sport.

Although 120 athletes within the classification group competed at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, none of them represented Africa, which is something Inas wishes to see change in 2016.