Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

A concept on the development of children's Paralympic movement under Azerbaijan's National Paralympic Committee has been approved at a meeting of the executive board of the National Paralympic Committee in Sumgayit, near the Azerbaijani capital Baku.

The Paralympic committee passed a resolution on the establishment of a children's Paralympic movement in August. The movement aims to encourage more disabled children in the country to engage in sports and physical education. The movement will also prepare the sports reserve in Paralympic sports.

The project will also serve to integrate disabled children into the society as well as facilitate habilitation and rehabilitation of physically challenged children.

The captain of the Paralympic team, two-time Paralympic judo champion, two-time world champion, and four-time European champion Ilham Zakiyev presented commemorative medals to the first participants of the children's Paralympic movement, 14-year-old fencer Alivahid Zeynally and 9-year-old judoka Murad Mammadov.

A strategic action plan for Azerbaijan's National Paralympic Committee for 2013-2016 was also approved at the meeting. The plan was developed to prepare for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Paralympics.

The plan includes expansion of the Paralympic movement in all regions of the country, the development of professional disabled sport, expansion of relations with international sports organizations, and involvement of disabled children in sports.

The committee board, which consists of 13 people, was also endorsed.

The meeting was attended by the heads and representatives of government agencies, international organizations operating in the country, embassies, universities, and non-governmental organizations.

Azerbaijani athletes achieved great success at the summer 2012 Paralympic Games in London, gaining 12 medals and becoming 27th out of a total of 166 countries. At the Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2008, Azerbaijan won 10 medals, ranking 37th.

Paralympic athletes for the first time in the history of Paralympic sports in Azerbaijan participated in the 10th Atlanta Summer Paralympic Games in 1996 with two athletes representing two sports.

Currently Azerbaijani Paralympic athletes take part in competitions in 11 sports.

In July 2013, Azerbaijani Paralympians, represented by ten athletes, accomplished remarkable success at the Paralympic Games in France.