A football is pictured on a pitch relating to a story about women's football

World Intellectual Impairment Sport Football take steps to build women’s game

/in /by

The International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) Football Committee is gathering information from World Intellectual Impairment Sport members about the women’s game in their countries.

Competition is currently only open to men but the committee is keen to find out if women’s teams exist. Alternatively members may be interested in starting their own.

The aim is to establish if there are enough teams to hold the first international competition for women with intellectual impairments. This could be a full 11-a-side tournament or futsal.

John Ball, Chairperson of the World Intellectual Impairment Sport Football Committee, said: “After a successful World Championships in Sweden this year for the men, it is now important that we take steps to build the women’s game.

“We are hoping that countries will come forward to tell us about their activities and players. The membership is key to this process as they are at the forefront of developing sport on a national level.

“We are really interested to hear from anyone who already has a team and from those who may want to start. We can help by providing support and guidance as we have a lot of expertise on the committee.

“World Intellectual Impairment Sport wants to throw the spotlight on football for women with an intellectual impairment and break new ground by beginning to hold international competitions.”

The World Intellectual Impairment Sport Football Committee will spend the coming months gathering information from countries. Afterwards they will evaluate whether an international competition could take place.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport’ role in developing Para sport

World Intellectual Impairment Sport has a crucial role in growing women’s sport for Para athletes on a global level.

In 2018 it launched its #WeAreSport project to inspire more women and girls to take up sport. Eleven athletes from around the world took part in online seminars. These aimed to give them the tools and knowledge to use social media to promote their lives as an athlete.

It is hoped that #WeAreSport will raise awareness and create role models for future female athletes with intellectual impairments.

World Anti-Doping agency (WADA) logo

WADA publishes 2019 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods

/in /by

By WADA

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has published the 2019 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods (List); the 2019 Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes; and the 2019 Monitoring Programme.

The List, which was approved by WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo) on 20 September 2018, comes into force on 1 January 2019.

The List, which is one of six International Standards that are mandatory for all Signatories of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code), designates what substances and methods are prohibited both in- and out-of-competition, and which substances are banned in particular sports.

WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said: “WADA is pleased to announce the publication of the 2019 Prohibited List. Updated annually, it is one of the cornerstones of the global anti-doping programme. Every year, we review the List in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders. It is vital that we stay ahead of those that endeavour to cheat the system so in reviewing the List, experts review sources such as scientific and medical research, trends, and intelligence gathered from law enforcement and pharmaceutical companies.”

The List is released three months ahead of it taking effect so that athletes and their entourage can acquaint themselves with any modifications. Ultimately, athletes are responsible for the substances in their body and the methods on the List; and, athlete entourage are also liable for anti-doping rule violations if determined to be complicit. Consequently, if there is any doubt as to the status of a substance or method, it is important that they contact their respective Anti-Doping Organisation (International Federation or National Anti-Doping Organisation) for advice.

The List’s annual revision process is led by WADA, beginning with an initial meeting in January and concluding with the publication of the List by 1 October. This is an extensive consultation process that includes WADA’s List Expert Group. They gather information, circulating a draft List among stakeholders, taking their submissions into consideration and revising the draft, followed by review by the Agency’s Health, Medical and Research (HMR) Committee.

The HMR Committee then makes its recommendation to the WADA ExCo, which approves the List during its September meeting.

For a substance or method to be added to the List, it must be determined that it meets two of the following three criteria:

It has the potential to enhance or enhances sport performance

It represents an actual or potential health risk to the athletes

It violates the spirit of sport

It should be noted that for athletes who have a legitimate medical reason for using a prohibited substance or method that is on the List, they may be accommodated if they meet the criteria outlined in the International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (ISTUE). The TUE process has overwhelming acceptance from athletes, physicians and anti-doping stakeholders worldwide.

Languages and Formats

The 2019 Prohibited List; the 2019 Summary of Modifications and Explanatory Notes; and the 2019 Monitoring Programme are available for download on WADA’s website in English and French with Spanish to follow shortly.

Stakeholders wishing to translate the List into other languages are kindly asked to signal their interest at [email protected], by 27 October. If interested, WADA would provide the necessary files and, once the translation is finalised, would make the List available on the Agency’s website.

The List’s mobile-friendly digital edition will go live on 1 January 2019.

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games mascot named Someity

Volunteer for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

/in /by

The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) has opened applications for the Games Volunteer Programme on Wednesday (26 September).

Tokyo 2020 aims to secure 80,000 volunteers via the Volunteers portal through early December. The deadline will be announced later.

Volunteers will provide valuable support for the operation of the Games in a variety of roles at competition venues and at the Athletes’ Village, and their contribution will be a key factor in the Games’ success.

What you need to know

When to apply

From Wednesday 26 September until December 2018

The exact closing date for applications will be announced on the Tokyo 2020 website at a later date.

How to apply

On Tokyo 2020’s website

Volunteer roles

Games volunteers will have a unique opportunity to provide support in a number of areas, including spectator guidance, competition operation and media operation. They will be deployed in various locations including competition venues and the Athletes’ Village. Who is eligible

Applicants must fulfil the following two requirements:

• Born prior to 1 April 2002

• Japanese nationals or persons with valid visas permitting residence in Japan during the volunteer period (including temporary visitors)

An athlete with an intellectual impairment smiles after receiving her medal

Sharp adds to her social media presence through #WeAreSport

/in /by

Australian track and field athlete Caytlyn Sharp has an increased presence on social media thanks to the International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) #WeAreSport campaign.

#WeAreSport aims to give female athletes the tools and knowledge to use social media more effectively to promote their lives as an athlete. This will enable them to inspire other women and girls to try sport.

Eleven athletes from around the world have been involved. Each has taken part in an online seminar with the support of an administrator.

Sharp is an World Intellectual Impairment Sport world champion in high jump II1 and the national record holder in the 200m. Before her involvement in the project, the Australian only had an athlete page on Facebook. So keen was the 15-year-old to get started, she created an Instagram account as soon as she was a confirmed #SportChampion for #WeAreSport in March. Then in August, despite some reservations about the platform, Sharp started a Twitter account during the seminar.

Sharp, who started athletics when she was eight, now has nearly 300 followers and her fan base is growing every day. The athlete has been using the hints and tips she picked-up to attract more followers.

Sharp said she enjoyed learning about social media and now has more confidence in using it. The new knowledge will stand her in good stead as she prepares for her home 2019 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games in Brisbane.

Anula Costa is Sharp’s coach and also the nominated administrator, supporting the young athlete with her social media activities alongside Sharp’s mother Cindy. Costa was put forward by Sport Inclusion Australia, the World Intellectual Impairment Sport member in the country, alongside Chantel Lewis.

“The seminar was useful with good tips,” Costa said. “The most useful part of the seminar for me was following up steps on e-platforms. It was great.

“I have seen Caitlyn has improved and doing well.  I am looking forward to progress and increased public awareness.”

As well as supporting the current participants, it is hoped that the administrators can use the skills they have learned to encourage other athletes to use social media.

Caytlyn Sharp

About #WeAreSport

#WeAreSport is supported by the Agitos Foundation, the development arm of the IPC, through their 2017 Grant Support Programme.

All materials used during the seminars, including a Quick Start Guide to Social Media and a longer guide, are available in a variety of languages for all World Intellectual Impairment Sport members to use here.

Danielle Moi

#WeAreSport: Moi Yang Ting gives insight into life outside sport

/in /by

Singapore’s Danielle Moi Yang Ting has discovered that she can use social media to share more than just her training and competition thanks to the International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) #WeAreSport campaign.

Moi Yang Ting was part of a group of 11 athletes who took part in online seminars which guided athletes on how best to use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For the Asian Youth Para Games medallist swimmer the most useful element of the session was finding out “that I don’t have to keep posting about my sport. It is ok to post outside of sports.”

Athletes were given five different ideas of things they could post about. These included training, competition, media coverage of their performances, time-off and events they might be invited to attend.

As a result Moi Yang Ting, who competes in the II1 category, has started to share more with her fans about her life inside and outside of the pool.

“I feel like the guidelines gives me a direction of what to post,” she said.

Countries were also asked to nominate an administrator who could work with their athletes on sharing more to social media.

Stefanie Pitchian from the Singapore Disability Sports Council stepped forward and also joined the seminar. Pitchian said that as a result she feels more confident in supporting Moi Yang Ting online.

“She comes to me with different post ideas and she shares with me on how it would be engaging her followers,” Pitchian said.

The long term aim of #WeAreSport is to encourage more female athletes with intellectual impairments to use social media, and more often. It is hoped that this will raise their profile and create role models for other women and girls, encouraging them to take up sport.

The campaign is supported by the Agitos Foundation, the development arm of the IPC, through their 2017 Grant Support Programme.

All materials, including a Quick Start Guide to Social Media and a longer guide, are available in a variety of languages for all World Intellectual Impairment Sport members to use here.

Rahma Khaled

Khaled sees ‘new world’ through #WeAreSport

/in /by

Egyptian swimmer Rahma Khaled has described how the International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) #WeAreSport campaign has helped her with her skills on social media.

Despite having more than 9,000 likes on her Facebook page, Khaled did not have a Twitter or Instagram account before being involved in #WeAreSport.

However, with support from administrator Inas Mostafa, the Egyptian has now gained the confidence to add to her digital presence and launch accounts.

Khaled, who competes in the II2 category, was also encouraged by the idea that she could be a role model for other women and girls with intellectual impairments.

“I feel more confident, because I saw a new world and [I want] to help other people to become champions,” she said.

#WeAreSport aims to give female athletes the tools and knowledge to use social media more effectively to promote their lives as an athlete.

Eleven athletes from around the world have been involved. Each has taken part in an online seminar with the support of an administrator. Mostafa was nominated by the Egyptian World Intellectual Impairment Sport member, ESFID.

“I feel more confident in supporting my athlete to use social media,” Mostafa said. “I have seen a change in the athlete [Rahma]. She created a Twitter account and started using it, she is doing hard work on social media.”

About #WeAreSport

#WeAreSport is supported by the Agitos Foundation, the development arm of the International Paralympic Committee, through their 2017 Grant Support Programme.

All materials used during the seminars, including a Quick Start Guide to Social Media and a longer guide, are available in a variety of languages for all World Intellectual Impairment Sport members to use here.

Jade Lucy took part in a #WeAreSport seminar

Lucy gains confidence on social media through #WeAreSport

/in /by

Australia’s multiple swimming gold medallist Jade Lucy has found a new confidence to use social media through the International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) #WeAreSport campaign.

#WeAreSport aims to give female athletes the tools and knowledge to utilise their online presence more effectively. This will enable them to inspire other women and girls to try sport, and show the world that athletes with intellectual impairments train just as hard as anyone else.

Lucy, who started swimming when she was five, was one of 11 athletes from around the world to take part in an online seminar. The Australian was also supported by two administrators, Anula Costa and Chantel Lewis, as well as her mother Leanne.

Lucy said she learned: “How important it is to get lots of likes on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Everything was interesting and I enjoyed learning more things.”

As a result, Lucy said she feels more confident to use her Facebook page and continues to use Instagram to great effect. She also started a Twitter account in August after the #WeAreSport seminar and is using her new knowledge to build her following.

“I posted my training at the gym and I posted my award I won at my swimming club,” Lucy said.

Of her growing swimming career, Lucy said her proudest achievement is: “Winning my first gold medal in the 400m free at Global Games in Ecuador 2015 and winning silver in the 200 free at the Australian Swimming Champs 2018.”

In 2019 the Australian will get to defend her title when the World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games take place on her home turf in Brisbane. She is also a triple World Intellectual Impairment Sport world champion in the women’s II1.

About #WeAreSport

#WeAreSport is supported by the Agitos Foundation, the development arm of the IPC, through their 2017 Grant Support Programme.

All materials used during the seminars, including a Quick Start Guide to Social Media and a longer guide, are available in a variety of languages for all World Intellectual Impairment Sport members to use here.

Poleth Mendes throws the shot put

#WeAreSport: Paralympian Mendes inspires others through social media

/in /by

Paralympian Poleth Mendes of Ecuador was not sure exactly what kinds of things she should be posting to social media ahead of her participation in the International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) #WeAreSport seminar.

Now the World Championships shot put F20 silver medallist is using her Facebook and Instagram to share her life as an athlete more and inspire other women and girls along the way.

#WeAreSport is a campaign which aims to give female athletes the tools and confidence to use the power of social media to promote themselves. It is hoped that those athletes involved – 11 from countries all around the world – will be able to attract new fans and show other people with intellectual impairments that they too can do sport.

The athletes, all from a wide range of sports, took part in an online seminar and were given materials to guide them. Advice was given on what to share and types of content that work well.

“I liked that it was dynamic and entertaining,” Mendes said of the seminar. Even though she is currently injured, the idea of sharing updates about her rehabilitation particularly appealed to the Ecuadorian: “Now I am in recovery so I have uploaded photos and videos of my therapies and all sports activities.” As part of the project countries also had to nominate an administrator to support athletes in the longer term. Vanessa Vinueza was chosen by the World Intellectual Impairment Sport member in Ecuador and has seen a big change in the way Mendes approaches her social media since the online session.

“The most useful part of the seminar was knowing that in Poleth’s social networks, we can also upload content from day to day, before training or after, with their peers, etc. This means her pages do not have such linear content,” Vinueza said.

And the new activity is already producing results:

“Poleth gets excited when I tell her that someone or some institution has started to follow her on Instagram or Facebook, for example, World Intellectual Impairment Sport or the IPC [International Paralympic Committee.]”

About #WeAreSport

#WeAreSport is supported by the Agitos Foundation, the development arm of the IPC, through their 2017 Grant Support Programme.

All materials, including a Quick Start Guide to Social Media and a longer guide, are available in a variety of languages for all World Intellectual Impairment Sport members to use here.

Leslie Cichocki

Cichocki helps promote female athletes through #WeAreSport

/in /by

The USA’s Leslie Cichocki, the first swimmer with an intellectual impairment to represent her country at a Paralympic Games, is growing her social media presence and hopes to inspire other women and girls to try sport.

Cichocki has been part of the #WeAreSport campaign run by the International Federation for Athletes with an Intellectual Impairment (World Intellectual Impairment Sport).

#WeAreSport aims to give female athletes the tools and knowledge to use social media more effectively to promote their lives as an athlete.

Eleven athletes from around the world have been involved. Each will have taken part in an online seminar with the support of an administrator by the end of September.

Cichocki said she liked the fact that the sessions were a way of “getting more women involved in sports and having their voices and experiences heard.”

Follow Leslie Cichocki on social media

The US swimmer made history at the Rio 2016 Paralympics when she competed in the women’s S14, something which she says she is most proud of. Since then Cichocki has been working towards the 2019 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games and the next Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2020.

Cichocki has been using social media more since the seminar, especially her athlete page on Facebook. She has been posting various themed posts for days of the week, such as #MotivationMonday and #WednesdayWisdom. These include hints and tips for other aspiring swimmers for training and competition.

Melani Hom was nominated by the World Intellectual Impairment Sport member in the USA, Athletes Without Limits, to be the administrator and support Leslie in her digital activities.

“After our kick-off posts on my personal and her athlete page, we saw an increase in followers. In just over three weeks, she had 36 new fans interested in following her athletic journey,” Hom said.

“I am proud and confident in Leslie’s social media presence. She has proven her understanding of how engaging content helps engage her followers. It’s easy to re-post her content because I believe what she has to say is important and should be shared with others. I especially like her daily themes like #MotivationMonday and #ThresholdThursday.”

#WeAreSport is supported by the Agitos Foundation, the development arm of the International Paralympic Committee, through their 2017 Grant Support Programme.

All materials used during the seminars, including a Quick Start Guide to Social Media and a longer guide, are available in a variety of languages for all World Intellectual Impairment Sport members to use here.

#WeAreSport aims to inspire women and girls with an intellectual into sport

Female athletes celebrated on International Day of Sport for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments

/in /by

A series of female athletes are being celebrated online to mark the International Day of Sport for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (IDSAII) on Thursday (20 September).

The theme for this year’s IDSAII is firmly rooted in the International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) #WeAreSport campaign. It aims to encourage more female athletes to use social media.

By the end of September, 11 swimmers, track and field stars, tennis and table tennis #SportChampions will have taken part in seminars to give them the tools and knowledge to improve their digital presence. They have all been supported by administrators from within their World Intellectual Impairment Sport member organisations, ensuring the project can be spread to other athletes in the long term.

For one week starting on 20 September, World Intellectual Impairment Sport will publish athlete stories on inas.org and graphics featuring their social media handles to help build the following of the participants.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport has also published guides to setting-up and using social media in different languages on a dedicated section of its website for all athletes and members to access.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport Vice President Robyn Smith has been involved in the campaign as a firm advocate of women in sport.

“The athletes in #WeAreSport range from those just starting out to experienced Paralympians and world champions in a variety of sports,” Smith said. “But not all of them were getting the full potential from social media.

“We knew that we had to do something about the smaller numbers of women and girls with intellectual impairments taking up sport compared to boys and men. Social media seemed like a good place to start as it is accessible to billions of people around the world.

“We had a great response from the athletes and administrators involved. Many went away and immediately started using the ideas they had heard to set-up accounts on platforms they had not previously used, or posting different kinds of content to grow their fanbase.

“We have been delighted with the response and plan to grow the reach of #WeAreSport into the future, including at the World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games which Australia will host in Brisbane in 2019.

“This is just one part of our role in developing Paralympic and non-Paralympic sports, adding to our international competition calendar and work on athlete eligibility.”

One of the athletes to participate was US swimmer and Paralympian Leslie Cichocki.

Cichocki said she liked the fact that the sessions were a way of “getting more women involved in sports and having their voices and experiences heard.”

Egyptian swimmer Rahma Khaled also took the aim of #WeAreSport firmly to heart: “I feel more confident, because I saw a new world and [I want] to help other people to become champions,” she said.

Stefanie Pitchian from the Singapore Disability Sports Council is helping swimmer Danielle Moi Yang Ting with her social media. Pitchian said that as a result of the campaign she feels more confident in supporting Moi Yang Ting online.

“She comes to me with different post ideas and she shares with me on how it would be engaging her followers,” Pitchian said.

Since the first wave of #SportChampions were announced in March on International Women’s Day, a further three athletes and three administrators have joined. That brings the total to 11 athletes from 10 countries.

#WeAreSport #SportChampions

Athlete Eligibility group Country Age Sport Career highlights
Danielle Moi Yang Ting

 

Instagram: @daniellemoimoi

 II1/S14 Singapore 19 Swimming 2017 Asian Youth Para Games medallist (silver 100m butterfly, bronze 100m backstroke, 200m freestyle)
Jade Lucy

 

Instagram: @jadelucy_g

Facebook:  @jadelucy-swimmer

Twitter: @jadelucy_lucy

 

 II1/S14 Australia 21 Swimming World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games champion (100m, 400m, 800m, freestyle) and World Intellectual Impairment Sport world champion (200m, 400m and 1,500m freestyle)
Poleth Mendes

 

Instagram and Facebook: @polethmendesec

 II1/F20 Ecuador 22 Athletics Paralympian and silver medallist in shot put F20 at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships
Yang Hee Seo

 

 

 II1/class 11 South Korea 31 Table tennis 2014 Asian Para Games (bronze women’s singles)
Caitlyn Sharp

 

Instagram: @caytlynsharpathlete

Facebook: @CaytlynSharpTF20Athlete

Twitter: @caytlynsharpat1

 II1/T/F20 Australia 15 Athletics World Intellectual Impairment Sport world champion (high jump)
Wong Pui Kei II1/class 11 Hong Kong 20 Table tennis 2017 World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Table Tennis Championships (silver women’s doubles, bronze women’s singles, gold women’s team, gold junior doubles, gold junior team, silver junior singles)
New: Rahma Khaled

 

Instagram: @rahmakhaled453

Facebook: @shampionrahma

Twitter: @Rahmakhaled10

 II2 Egypt 22 Swimming National and international medallist
New: Gloria Agblemagnon

 

Instagram: @gloriaagblemagnon

 II1/F20 France 20 Track and field World Intellectual Impairment Sport hammer and discus world champion, Global Games champion hammer
New: Lizaba Deepak II2 India 23 Swimming National champion
New: Lily Mills II1 Great Britain 18 Tennis National champion
New: Leslie Cichocki

 

Instagram: @swimprincess88

Facebook: @swimstarleslie

Twitter: @Paralympswimmer

 II1/S14 USA 29 Swimming First athlete from the USA to compete in swimming at the Paralympics

 

#WeAreSport is supported by the Agitos Foundation, the development arm of the International Paralympic Committee, through their 2017 Grant Support Programme.