Luanda - Angola Paralympic Committee (CPA) and the Chinese Paralympic Committee have signed a cooperation protocol that will aid the South African nation to improve infrastructures and to acquire equipment adapted to special needs, said a statement that reached ANGOP on Friday.
The agreement was signed by the president of the CPA, Leonel da Rocha Pinto, and the president of the Executive Committee of the Disabled People's Federation of China, Zhou Changkui, on the sidelines of the 7th People's Forum held in Changsha, Hunan province.
The organization of tournaments that demonstrate excellence and reduce the stigma associated with disability, fostering social transformation by contributing to a more inclusive community, sports medicine and improving the skills of leaders and coaches are also part of the agreements.
Leonel Pinto said he expects to benefit from the great experience of the Chinese team, and that the agreement marks a decisive moment in the history of sport for people with special needs in Angola.
Pinto said the aim is to expand sports programs and the participation of athletes in various disciplines and improve performance at all levels.
“We also aspire to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in addition to personal and social transformation through sport, ultimately helping towards a more inclusive global community,” Pinto said.
Leonel Pinto, who is also president of the African Amputee Football Confederation, gave a historical overview of the development of adapted sport in the country, having explained that paralympic sport in Angola began in 1993, motivated by the need to support the mental and physical recovery of young soldiers affected by the civil war.
He said that it began as a modest initiative at the Central Military Hospital in Luanda, but that today it has become a nationwide movement.
According to him, the ambition is to reach 5,000 athletes by 2027, including women and children aged six to 14, through a development program called “Projecto Criança” (Child Project).
Leonel Pinto recalled the significant milestones already achieved, from the creation of Associations in the country’s 18 provinces, to winning medals and records in international competitions, including the Paralympic Games, stressing that these achievements were made possible thanks to the support of the Angolan government.
He cited, for example, the fact that in 2025 the “José Sayovo” High Performance Sports Center, under construction in Bengo province, will be handed over by the Angolan state, an infrastructure to be shared with African countries. MC/AMP
