F.V.
23 October 2009
This is in line with the policy of vulgarisation of the sports discipline in the country.
After Yaounde, Bertoua, Garoua and Douala, the 5th Special Olympics regional games will take place over the weekend this time in the South Regional capital of Ebolowa. The major innovation in this edition of the games will be the inclusion of dental examination in the traditional medical tests that are usually conducted before the start of competition. Tooth pastes and other gadgets will be offered to the mentally handicapped children under the programme known as "Special Smiles". The dental examinations will be carried out by Dr Zing Salomon, a renowned dentist and surgeon.
The competition is expected to bring together over 50 athletes from a special missionary centre in Ambam, Yaounde, Ebolowa and other nearby areas. The competition will be in football with five players and athletics. The athletes will be classified by Cameroonian commissioners who were trained in Ebolowa in June 2009.
According to the Coordinator of Special Olympics Cameroon, Jean Marie Aleokol Mabieme, the tour of the nation has been so far successful as more parents are now willing to send their mentally handicapped children to take part in the games. He however regretted that some parents were still reticent to allow their children participate in the games. He expressed gratitude to the First Lady, Chantal Biya for taking part in a meeting on Autism on the sidelines of the UN general assembly meeting recently. Her action, he said is going to draw attention to the plight of mentally retarded children. He however regretted the fact that correspondences to the Chantal Biya Foundation for cooperation have never received any response. He appealed for assistance from the Ministries of Sports and Physical Education, Youth Affairs, Public Health and the Ministry of Social Affairs.
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