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South Africa -- (22 May 2008) – Special Olympics South Africa will hold their 2008 National Winter Games for the popular team sport of floor hockey at the University of Pretoria's Sports Centre from 14-16 June 2008. The Games will see fourteen teams from six provinces taking part in a bid to be selected as the team to represent South Africa at the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Boise, Idaho from 6-13 February, 2009. .
There are more than one million individuals with intellectual disabilities in South Africa, many of whom live in social isolation, with little support or opportunities to participate in society. Special Olympics offers year round sports training and competition opportunities for both children and adults with an intellectual disability, giving them an opportunity to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and become integrated and valued members of our society.
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Floor Hockey was introduced as an official Special Olympics sport just two years after the movement's inception in 1968; primarily as a means of including a team sport at the World Winter Games but also to provide an opportunity for athletes from all countries and climates to participate. Special Olympics South Africa have used this opportunity to develop the sport and now boast in excess of 45 teams countrywide, reaching as far north as Venda in Limpopo to Cape Town in the south.
The Special Olympics South Africa National Winter Games will see over 180 athletes parading in to the Opening Ceremonies in the evening of the 14th June and welcomed by their chairman, Dr Mathews Phosa. “Special Olympics allows EVERY South African citizen to be treated equally. Every South African should be looking forward to celebrating the success of another team of well trained athletes who will proudly represent South Africa not because of their disability, but because of their ability.”
Local football legend and Special Olympics South Africa patron Lucas Radebe will be on site during the Games to show that he too is a fan of the courage and determination of Special Olympics athletes. The 'Sports Experience' will give Lucas and members of the public and opportunity to test their mettle with and against Special Olympics athletes, an opportunity to set aside their differences and show off their skills.
Two days of fierce competition will culminate on the evening of National Youth Day, 16 June 2008 with the draw and announcement of the gold medal team to represent South Africa at the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games where Team South Africa will be hoping to once again enact the words of their Global Chairman and Board member Ephraim Mohlakane, “Go out there and fight. Make South Africa proud!”
For more information, contact: Annemarie van Wieringen, Special Olympics South Africa at avanwieringen@specialolympics.org or Tel: 011 783 8533
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