Suva, April 13 – Sports organisers have been challenged ensure their events provide opportunities for equal participation for athletes with a disability.

Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Laisenia Tuitubou, made the comments while opening the ITTF Oceania Para Table Tennis Championships, the ITTF Oceania Cup and the ITTF Oceania Junior Championships this morning in Suva.

“I commend the organisers of these Oceania Championships for providing equal platforms for the elite, the disabled and junior table tennis players,” Hon. Tuitubou said.

“It is certainly an approach other sporting federations should learn from – and that is to provide opportunities for equal participation at their sporting events.”

The Championships, the best attended yet, include teams from Australia, Cook Islands, Guam, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Fiji.

“These events are indeed a great opportunity for developing island nations like Fiji to host,” said the Youth and Sports Minister.

“We have three high profile events taking place simultaneously at a single venue and it will certainly raise Fiji’s profile and most importantly, the profile of table tennis in the region,” added Hon. Tuitubou.

Fiji hosted similar Oceania Table Tennis tournaments in 2002, 2005 and in 2012.

President of International Table Tennis Federation, Mr Thomas Weikert, commended Fiji Table Tennis Association and Oceania Table Tennis Association for “organising an inclusive tournament.”

“Your efforts towards organising this tournament are appreciated and will definitely boost the development of the sport in the region,” said Mr Weikert. “The participation of Para table tennis players and Juniors will definitely raise the sport’s profile further.”

Mr Weikert said that the ITTF World Cadet Challenge will also be held in Fiji in October.

The Championships will end on Sunday.