Asian Youth Para-Games launch official logo

The Youth Games, scheduled from 26-30 October, are expected to see the participation of more than 2,000 athletes from 42 Asian nations, under the umbrella of the Asian Paralympic Committee (APC).

The Asian Youth Para-Games Malaysia 2013, which will provide a competitive sporting platform for Asia’s young para-athletes, officially launched the Games logo on Wednesday (31 July) at a brief ceremony at the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Malaysian Sports Minister Y.B. Encik Khairy Jamaluddin officiated the launch of the Games logo, emblem and official website in a ceremony held the Ministry’s lobby.

The launch was also attended by Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM) Patron, Tun Jeanne Abdullah and IPC Governing Board Member and PCM President Dato Zainal Abu Zarin, who is also the Chairman of the Games’ Organising Committee.

The Youth Games, scheduled from 26-30 October, are expected to see the participation of more than 2,000 athletes from 42 Asian nations, under the umbrella of the Asian Paralympic Committee (APC).

Zainal, in his speech said, the Games have already set a new benchmark, as 14 sports will be contested this time around, as compared to only five sports at the last Games in Tokyo in 2009.

The 14 sports listed for the Games include athletics, archery, boccia, swimming, badminton, table tennis, chess, powerlifting, goalball, tenpin bowling, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, judo and sitting volleyball.

The first edition of the Games were held in Hong Kong in 2005, followed by Tokyo in 2009.

Among the notable countries expected to send strong contingents for the Games include world powerhouses China, Japan, South Korea and Iran.

Meanwhile, in an effort to woo sponsors and companies to support the Games, Zainal said the organisers have embarked on several new approaches including pairing up companies and sponsors with the 14 sports listed for the Games.

The sponsors, to be known as the Games Sports Partners, are given the choice to adopt any of the 14 sports under the Games Adopt-A-Sport Programme.

“This is something new that we’ve created, to get companies to be part and directly involved in the running of the sports of their choice during Games time,” Zainal said.

We hope to continue this programme even after the Games ... to create a better understanding on para-sports, its needs and requirements amongst corporate citizens.”