ICRC Physical Rehabilitation Programme Manager Marc Zlot (2nd L) and CWBF President Ly Thuch (2nd R) after the MOU signing ceremony. CWBF
PHNOM PENH – Cambodia wheelchair basketball has received support from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a mutual understanding of cooperation and partnership to support the Cambodian wheelchair basketball team was signed between ICRC and the Cambodian Wheelchair Basketball Federation (CWBF) yesterday.
ICRC Physical Rehabilitation Programme Manager Marc Zlot signed for the Red Cross while CWBF President Ly Thuch inked the MOU for the federation.
The Mou signing was witnessed CWBF Secretary General Seu Muy and Gabriel Tan, the Chief Communications Officer of Prince Holding Group, a partner of CWBF, at the ICRC office in Phnom Penh.
The agreement serves as a pledge of mutual commitment in complementing each other’s duties and functions in supporting the sport of wheelchair basketball in Cambodia.
Expressed his delight, Zlot said, “ICRC looks forward to exploring together with CWBF avenues to increase social integration of persons with disabilities through wheelchair basketball sport. The signing of this MOU is the foundation to create a wheelchair basketball league in Cambodia and to promote social inclusion.”
Thuch, in his remarks said, “I am deeply grateful to the ICRC for their generous support of the Cambodian Wheelchair Basketball Team since 2012. This sponsorship has inspired the team to be successful and I hope that our men’s and women’s teams will be able to bring home a gold medal when Cambodia hosts the 12th ASEAN Para Games in May 2023.”
The first Cambodian wheelchair basketball team was created by the ICRC in 2012 to provide training and development opportunities for athletes with disabilities.
Later on, CWBF was established by the ICRC and was officially recognised by Cambodia’s Ministry of Education Youth and Sport in 2020.
The ICRC has continued supporting CWBF through Social Inclusion programme which is a part of its Physical Rehabilitation Program (PRP). The Social Inclusion programme is designed to ensure that people with disabilities have access to education, employment, vocational training and sporting and cultural activities.
In the 2022 (11th) ASEAN Para Games in Indonesia, the Cambodian women’s 3×3 wheelchair basketball team scored a monumental upset against Thailand to secure Cambodia’s first gold medal in the Games.
