Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Many’s presence at Para Games ‘inspires disabled community’

Many’s presence at Para Games ‘inspires disabled community’

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
National Paralympic Committee of Cambodia (NPCC) secretary-general Yi Veasna (seated) and Hun Many (to his left) pose for a group photo on June 22. HUN MANY VIA FACEBOOK

Many’s presence at Para Games ‘inspires disabled community’

The presence of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s son Hun Many as the Kingdom’s delegate at the upcoming 11th ASEAN Para Games in Indonesia will be a great honour for the National Paralympic Committee of Cambodia (NPCC), its senior official said.

NPCC secretary-general Yi Veasna made the remark after the premier, who is also president of the committee, appointed Many – a senior National Assembly member and head of the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (UYFC) – as his representative to the biannual multi-sport event for athletes with physical disabilities.

Veasna said the presence of Many at the games – to be held in Surakarta, Indonesia, from July 30 to August 6 – demonstrates the government’s commitment to promoting the rights of people with disabilities.

The participation of the nation’s leadership not only showed the high value placed on people with disabilities in Cambodia, but also demonstrated the will of the entire ASEAN family. All leaders in the ASEAN bloc take care of and uphold the rights of each of the disabled, he added.

“This is true equality and shows that we are all living in the same family, whether disabled or not. It illustrates the close attention the Cambodian government pays to ensuring that all of us have an equal value in society – and in the ASEAN family as well. His presence shows the government’s concern for people with disabilities,” he told The Post on June 22.

Veasna expected that Many’s presence would encourage Cambodian athletes with disabilities to compete for medals at the games – originally set to take place in Vietnam last year but were postponed due to the Covid-19 crisis with hosting rights later transferred to Indonesia.

“The presence of [Many] will provide motivation for our athletes, and they were all very excited after hearing the news. His participation shows the world we are one family, and will provide comfort to the entire delegation of athletes and supporters,” said Veasna, also executive director of the National Centre of Disabled Persons.

The committee will send athletes to compete in 11 sports at the games..

The 11 sports include athletics, swimming, men’s and women’s sitting volleyball, men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball, blind basketball, seven-a-side football, table tennis, badminton, powerlifting, chess and boccia.

Veasna said the NPCC has targeted gold in four sports.

“We expect men’s swimming, athletics and volleyball to return with gold medals. After this competition we will assess the abilities of each of our athletes and determine weak points that must be improved ahead of next year’s 12 games, which we will host,” he added.

Veasna said the more than 150 athletes and delegates of the team would leave for Indonesia on June 24.

Following the postponement of the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China, in early September, this 11th ASEAN Para Games will be the first chance for the region’s disabled athletes to compete on the world stage in several years.

The postponement of the Asian Para Games was the third such delay. The 10th ASEAN Para Games in the Philippine capital Manila in 2019 and the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi last month were also victims of the global pandemic.

At the 9th ASEAN Para Games in Malaysia, Cambodia brought home a total of 10 medals – five silver and five bronze.

This year’s games will feature more than 2,000 athletes coaches and delegates from the region, who will compete in 14 sports.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Brawl marrs football final as Indonesian take gold in seven goal thriller

    The Indonesian men's U22 men national football team were crowned champions of the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia, defeating Thailand 5-2 in extra time on May 16 at Olympic National Stadium in Phnom Penh. The match was marred by an ugly incident that occured in the 91

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Candlelight Party disqualified from July general election

    The National Election Committee (NEC) has disqualified the Candlelight Party (CP) from contesting the upcoming general election, citing a lack of valid documentation. NEC spokesman Khorn Keomono said the CP failed to fulfil one of the three main requirements: including original documentation proving their registration

  • 1.4 billion dollar Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway due in four years

    The Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, has officially signed a public-private partnership agreement with a private company for the construction of a Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway project that will connect the capital to Svay Rieng province. The budget for the project is

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom