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SINGAPORE : Under a new scheme launched this year, disability sports that form their own clubs or associations will benefit from a grant of up to S$50,000.
Disability sports has been doing well in competitions overseas.
Now more will be done to develop them.
They will be getting more funds from their parent body, the Singapore Disability Sports Council, to kick-start their own clubs or associations.
Kevin Wong, Executive Director, Singapore Disability Sports Council, said, "We have a whole scale, 5-tier scale depending on their capabilities and their maturity.
"So we can have five or six people forming an interest group to start off with and we may fund them just five to ten thousand dollars, but as you develop, let's say if you are wondering who is entitled to S$50,000, you must have a sizable disabled sports club, with about 20 or 30 members."
Wheelchair basketball, which is the latest disabled sport to set up an association, will qualify for the S$50,000 grant.
Jack Lai, Member, Wheelchair Basketball Association, said, "At the present moment, we are able to garner about 30 members. When things shoot off, we intend to bring the game to schools and other disabled groups, and invite corporate memberships."
A wheelchair basketball league will be set up in September, which will also have able bodied players competing in it.
A Ngee Ann Polytechnic student has formed a team to take part in the league.
Edward Liau said, "I used to be a soccer player, so after that I stopped playing soccer due to some injury, then I started playing basketball because I felt this was quite a good game."
Two other disabled sports, riding and lawn bowls, have also set up associations.
The Council is also coming up with innovative ways to raise money for the grants.
These include outsourcing its financial services to regular national sports associations, as part of its social enterprise drive. - CNA/ms
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