Disability Sports Namibia (DSN) board member Juliene Garises says allegations of witchcraft and self-blame should not hold Namibian children with intellectual disabilities back from engaging in sport.
Speaking to Desert Radio, Garises, who was Team Namibia's head of delegation to the recent Special Olympic World Games in Berlin, Germany, said Namibia brought home a gold, two silver and a bronze medal, out of 7 000 participants from 170 countries.
"Through these athletes, we want to tell the Namibian people that the time for thinking that witchcraft is associated with kids with intellectual disabilities and self-blame must be done away with, to give equal treatment to the Namibian child to play sport.
"These are our children and they must be treated equally. We must realise that they are differently able and they are ours. The old mentality of hiding and keeping these kids from the public must be done away with," said Garises.
She said it is time to grow the sport and the special Olympic organisation to ensure the country has a formidable team for the Special Olympic World Games, penciled for Turin, Italy, in 2025.
Garises praised the Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service, who made the trip to Berlin possible, following a N$1 million injection into the coffers of DSN.
"I cannot stress it enough but the N$1 million from the government that fully sponsored the team cannot go unnoticed, where there is a way, I believe each sport code will get the necessary financial support.
"Athletes with intellectual disabilities have the potential and talent to represent the country to the best of their abilities. This financial support from the government through the sports ministry is greatly appreciated."
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Garises said the performance by Team Namibia in Berlin is an achievement that the country and DSN must build on going forward, by identifying more talent to expand the sport.
"Special Olympics is not like any other sport, now we know what to expect, and the need to add more sport codes like swimming and football, though we know football is our traditional sport but it is key to add one or two sport codes."
She said parents of children with intellectual disabilities, yet endowed with talent, must come out of hiding so that they can participate in sport, and become ambassadors of the country.
Garises emphasised the importance of travelling throughout the country to scout for talented children with intellectual disabilities, who apart from playing sport can equally benefit from the international Special Olympic medical programmes.
Last year, the national female unified football team brought home gold from America, an achievement celebrated by many in the sports industry.
