La Jornada – Modified sports are discontinued; Resources not applied: Ernesto Varela

Ernesto Varela, one of the pioneers of adapted sports in Mexico, believes that despite achieving good results over the years in the Paralympics and all kinds of international competitions, sports for people with disabilities are pausing, as there are no new generations especially due to the lack of training and use of resources.

“The current situation is very dangerous. We had the Social Security team that went out of business; that DIF, which was the main one, and they cut the subsidy from 100 to 10 percent. The Mexico City assembly no longer works,” included in an interview with Varela Rosales, co-author with Pedro Orozco Navarro, for the book Wheelchair sportswhich will complement the courses it intends to teach to include more people in this field across the country.

“Since the return of Japan (Tokyo 2021 Paralympics), which was a very good choice, everything has stopped. Promotional work, there is no such thing, and the athletes who appear are on their own merits, with the support of family members and the club they belong to. said the bronze medalist in the pentathlon event (discussion, shot put, and javelin, and the 200- and 1,500-meter sprints), at the 1988 Seoul Games.

The Mexican Committee for the Paralympic Games Hundred is a facility, but Konade says it is for national teams only. Well, it was not done for that, but for the sake of everyone, for those who are late, young people, because they must have first-class facilities so that they can develop.

Varela chaired the Mexican Federation of Wheelchairs and Amputees from 1988 to 1994, where he was involved in introducing new disciplines into international competitions. “I was put in women’s weightlifting, which wasn’t there; I was able to take other athletics tests in swimming as well. I think I did well in that regard.”

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He pointed out that air-conditioned sports emerged in its infancy in wheelchair disciplines, especially athletes with polio – a disease that has been practically eradicated – and, over the years, competitors with other diseases, congenital diseases, amputees, the blind and visually impaired, and others. .

lack of technology

The lack of technology to provide amputee athletes with competitive prostheses is one outstanding issue.

“In Mexico, we’ve always adapted to what we’ve got. And we’ve done a good job, but imagine if we had what the US, the Netherlands, Canada and Germany have. What’s left for us, not half of what we do.

“At the end of it all we had very good results, and what we need now are new coaches across the country, not just here in the city. That is part of what we are looking to promote.”

The federation that governs conditioned sport has had conflicts between its leaders over the years and is currently pending in its rights to receive government resources.

“That’s another element. We don’t remove bad influences and bad habits. Since I left the union, there have been very drastic changes, and so far, the last management has been punished and they don’t give them the resources they should have, so they installed it with another organization so the boys can Departure from the competition.

– The panorama must be opened for the arrival of new athletes.

“There are enough disciplines, taekwondo, judo and sailing have already entered and have not been dealt with. Now we have the information with the traditional sports federations that are opening up to include athletes with disabilities.

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“There are teams, such as Club Unión, that operate and have an inclusion program dedicated to people with and without disabilities. It gives us good results, because those without disabilities cooperate and support those who have them.

“And there we will continue to train as much as we can, until God wills,” concluded Varela.

Amber Cross

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