Dubai: The Dubai Club for the Disabled have stepped forward to support the visiting Philippines wheelchair basketball team after after seeing the team competing gallantly despite playing in heavier wheelchairs.
The visitors will be provided lighter wheelchairs after they lost their opening three games in the ongoing Eighth Fazza Wheelchair Basketball Tournament at Al Ahli Club.
The Philippines team are playing with outdated chairs that are approximately 10kg heavier than their opponents’ but have nevertheless competed gamely as they lost 64-58 to the UAE, 81-44 to Morocco and 67-48 to Japan.
Philippines coach Vernon Parea said the unexpected show of sportsmanship from the tournament’s organisers would infuse new life into his team.
“Not to take anything away from our opponents, but of course the weight of our chairs affects the way we move and position ourselves, 10kg is a disadvantage,” he said. “After our opening defeat to the UAE, Mr Majid Abdullah Al Usaimi, the executive director of the Dubai Club for the Disabled, told us that if we could use lighter chairs it would help, and he’s sending someone to measure our players.
“It would bring new life to the team because equipment is vital to this sport and unfortunately we don’t have the resources. Luckily the organisers sponsored us to come here and now, in addition, they are offering to help us get new chairs. That would be a big boost to the team and we would be most grateful.”
Al Usaimi said it was part of the tournament’s objective to develop the sport. Wheelchairs specialised for sport cost between Dh5,000 to Dh15,000 on average.
“You can see their players have very good potential and we want to do something to help,” he said. “Playing in these chairs is not showing their best performance and I believe that they have more to give.
“We will try our best now in organisation with Dubai, the UAE and globally, to deliver 10-15 wheelchairs. If we succeed we would be achieving a goal in our tournament, which is not just looking at basketball, but also towards development.
“One of the ways we can help is in providing the latest chairs, but another is increasing their knowledge in coaching and refereeing with our workshops. The ball is in their court now and they will have to work hard also. But this is just part of our solidarity and long-term strategy to support the sport.”
