Power from belief

VHO - Vietnam's disabled sports, under the leadership of the Vietnam Paralympic Committee, has gone through 30 years of formation and development full of hardship but also brilliant achievements.

From the early days of many shortages, the movement has gradually spread strongly, contributing not only to improving the health and spirit of millions of people with disabilities but also bringing glory to the Fatherland in the international arena.

More than medals, it is a story of extraordinary determination, a strong desire to live and the proud integration journey of Vietnamese sports into the global Paralympic community.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong presents Certificates of Merit of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism to collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements.

Proud achievement

On September 11, 1995, the Prime Minister signed a decision to establish the Vietnam Disabled Sports Association - the only social organization representing the disabled sports movement in the country. After 30 years, this organization has developed into the Vietnam Paralympic Committee, officially joining the international Paralympic system and affirming its position in the region as well as in the world .

During that period, the sports movement for people with disabilities spread to dozens of provinces and cities, attracting tens of thousands of people to participate in regular training, and hundreds of clubs were established. From small domestic tournaments, Vietnamese sports for people with disabilities gradually reached international level: Winning second place at the ASEAN Para Games 2001, making a mark at the Asian Para Games 2010 and 2014, especially at the Rio Paralympics 2016 with the historic gold medal of athlete Le Van Cong.

Speaking at the 30th anniversary celebration of the Vietnam Paralympic Committee on September 22, former Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Chairman of the Vietnam Paralympic Committee Huynh Vinh Ai emphasized: “Over the past 30 years, from the early days with many difficulties, the sports movement for people with disabilities has gradually grown strongly.

Each medal, each record, each story of overcoming difficulties is a vivid proof of the power of belief, will and love of life. We are extremely proud that the red flag with yellow star has flown brilliantly many times in the arenas of the Paralympics, Asian Para Games, ASEAN Para Games... not only bringing glory to the Fatherland, but also strongly inspiring millions of hearts, affirming that there are no limits to dreams.

At the ceremony to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Vietnam Paralympic Committee, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh emphasized the special significance of the event in the context of the heroic echoes of the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2nd still spreading. “This is a special event of significance not only for the sports movement for people with disabilities, but also for the journey to build a compassionate, tolerant society that leaves no one behind,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.

On behalf of the Party and State leaders, the Deputy Prime Minister sent congratulations and gratitude to generations of cadres, coaches, athletes, organizations, businesses and international friends who have accompanied and created a movement rich in humanity, contributing to promoting the image of a compassionate, resilient and aspirational Vietnam.

The Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnamese disabled sports not only bring glorious achievements in the international arena but also foster the will and awaken the spiritual strength of millions of people. Every time the red flag with yellow star flies at the Paralympics, Asian Para Games or ASEAN Para Games, it is not only the glory of the individual but also the pride of the whole nation, a message that "no matter the circumstances, Vietnamese people always strive to assert themselves".

Besides recognizing the achievements, the Deputy Prime Minister also frankly pointed out the bottlenecks and proposed six key orientations for Vietnamese sports for the disabled to make longer and stronger strides.

This includes perfecting mechanisms and policies to ensure equality, fairness, and timeliness in treatment and rewards so that athletes and coaches can confidently train and contribute; making key investments in infrastructure, equipment, and human resources, building specialized training centers, and supporting sports nutrition and biomedicine and post-retirement careers...

Moving forward together

Entering a new phase, Vietnam’s disabled sports are facing both opportunities and challenges. On the one hand, competition results are increasingly affirmed, the attention of the Party, the State and the whole society for the disabled is growing. But on the other hand, the movement is still limited in terms of facilities, specialized coaching staff, and the young athletes are not abundant.

According to the orientation to 2030, the Vietnam Paralympic Committee aims to develop at least 16 sports, attract about 40,000 people with disabilities to participate in training every year, expand the network of clubs in localities, aiming for 1 million people with disabilities to benefit from sports activities. The focus is to maintain 55-60 key athletes, add 10-15 young athletes each year, strive to have athletes meet standards and win medals at the 2028 Paralympics.

In parallel, the Committee will focus on specialized training programs, developing human resources for coaches and injury classification experts, and enhancing international cooperation to learn from experience and improve professional qualifications.

Communication work will also be promoted to change social awareness, from considering sports for the disabled as a charitable activity to considering it an important field contributing to human development and building a humane and equitable society.

All of these orientations show a great aspiration to make Vietnamese sports for the disabled an indispensable part of the national sports sector, contributing to affirming the country's position in the international arena, while at the same time lighting up trust and giving integration opportunities to millions of people with disabilities in the community.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/suc-manh-tu-niem-tin-169949.html