Special Olympic team return full of hope

The national Special Olympics team returned home from Los Angeles yesterday without the expected fanfare despite an impressive performance that saw the four-menber team winning three medals at the just-ended Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles.

There was no official welcome party from either the Youth and Sports Ministry or National Sports Authority except for family members of the athletes and the media, an atmosphere that deepened the feeling of neglect by the athletes who represented the nation at the global event reserved for youngsters with intellectual disabilities.

Nonetheless, there was still a feeling of pride for their accomplishment at the July 23 - August 3 competition in Los Angeles, as Princess Ayin of Battor Special School, Isaac Otchere of Dzorwulu Special School, Latiff Toufick of Garden City Special School and Victoria Obeng of Aboom Special School in Cape Coast received a heroic welcome by well-wishers.

Princess won two silver medals in the 100 and 200 metres sprints while Isaac claimed another silver medal in the boys’ 100 metres event -- his first international medal for Ghana.

Otchere told journalists at the Kotoka International Airport that he was confident Ghana would have returned home with many medals if they had received financial support from the sports ministry for adequate preparation, and the ministry had also sponsored others who were dropped at the 11th hour.

“We did not have adequate preparation for a tournament of such magnitude due to a lack of funds. And for the same reasons, both our female and male football teams did not join us,” he bemoaned.

He said it was time the government recognised people with intellectual disabilities and supported them to enable them to hone their potential.

“The government cannot continue to neglect us. This is because many of us have hidden potential which should be unearthed and nurtured for our good and that of the nation.”

He was, however, grateful to corporate bodies such as Coca-Cola Equatorial Africa, National Lottery Authority, Max International and Herbalife for sponsoring the team and, therefore seized the opportunity to appeal for more of such corporate support to enable them to prepare adequately in order to win more laurels for the country at future international events.