Cambodia has just secured the rights to host the 2005 Asia Oceania Volleyball
Tournament Championships 2005 in Phnom Penh from June 27 to July 4.
As
Cambodia's representative on the international sports governing body for
disabled volleyball, the Cambodian National Volleyball League for the Disabled
(CNLVD) submitted the successful bid to host the event.
This historic
occasion will be Cambodia's first international team sports competition in over
40 years. Invitations have been issued to Asia Pacific nations, with confirmed
participation from China, Japan, Australia, Canada, Myanmar and
Iran.
Since 1999, Cambodian disability sports development has focused on
standing volleyball, a sport which has subsequently evolved into the linchpin of
physical rehabilitation in Cambodia.
Amputees remain a rapidly growing
section of society with around 1000 new mine-related casualties each year. More
mundane, but no less tragic, Cambodian motorbike accidents are also contributing
significantly to this increase. Rehabilitating landmine survivors and traffic
accident victims forms an integral part of the disability sports development
program of the CNVLD.
Special invitations have been extended to
Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Iraq to field teams in the tournament. The
participation of such a striking trio of nations in such a momentous event
within Cambodia will engender outstanding promotional opportunities for the
anti-landmines cause.
The CNVLD's long term objective is to have Cambodia
officially nominated as the ASEAN Centre for Disability sports development. This
creates the possibility of Cambodia hosting 6-8 international disability sports
competition events each year. The CNVLD has, at an individual level, enabled
disabled athletes to become fully active and reintegrated members of Cambodian
society.
Now, at a national level, the major socio-economic benefits of
holding international disability sporting competitions in Phnom Penh will be of
the utmost importance as Cambodia moves towards becoming an active and
contributing member of the international community.
- Chris Minko
