Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy has said that sports equipment for athletes with disabilities should be produced domestically.

“The challenge for implementing the sporting event for disabled people is the shortness of the athletes’ equipment as it must be specific and customized,” he noted at the Lukas Enembe Stadium, here on Saturday.

Customizing equipment means each piece of equipment is modified as per the needs of each athlete and cannot be used by just anyone, he explained.

“In fact, it is only made for one person. Thus, it costs a lot. For instance, the price for one wheelchair can reach Rp50 million,” he said.

In addition, wheelchairs for different sports have different specifications, he pointed out.

“There are particular kinds of wheelchairs. The ones for running, badminton, or shot-put are different. We do not manufacture most of them, thus they are still imported,” the coordinating minister said.

Hence, according to him, the National Paralympic Week (Peparnas) should be a good opportunity to plan for the provision or production of special sports equipment.

If the equipment can be produced domestically, it will be much cheaper and help reduce costs, he added.

Thus, he said he hoped that domestic production can help improve the achievements of athletes since they would not need to depend on the supply of foreign products.

At least 1,985 athletes with disabilities from all provinces, except West Sulawesi, are participating in XVI Papua Peparnas, which is being hosted from November 6-13, 2021.

Twelve sports are being competed at the Peparnas: powerlifting, athletics, boccia, badminton, chess, judo, shooting, archery, swimming, cerebral palsy football, wheelchair tennis, and table tennis.

Source: Antara News