The RSL BEC Para Badminton Event 2023 has kicked off, bringing a celebration of inclusivity, European cooperation, and growth. Andrea Delpin, Sardinia FIBa Regional Delegate and proud host, shares insights into the enthusiasm for Para badminton and the promising potential for a more inclusive sporting landscape.
The island of Sardinia has warmly welcomed the RSL BEC Para Badminton Event 2023, to take place from today until Sunday 9 November. Andrea Delpin, the Sardinia FIBa Regional Delegate and host of the event, expresses pride in organising this groundbreaking occasion: "We are proud to organise this event. The participants are active and cooperative; I’ve found the atmosphere comfortable and productive."
Reflecting on the island's journey into Para badminton, Delpin notes, “This is not the first time that we welcome other Europeans, but it is our first time in Para badminton. We must support and believe in Para badminton, and thanks to this kind of courses, we can do that.”
Sardinia, although not boasting numerous badminton clubs, is home to the 2022 European Club Championships champions, Marabadminton, and is rich in schools practicing the sport. Delpin sees an opportunity to embrace Para badminton: ”We have students with disabilities but we are not ready to involve them yet. I hope that this kind of course can teach us how to do so because these students are involved in other sports. Para badminton is one of our objectives. I believe that publicizing this kind of event could be interesting not only for the federations or the Ministry of Education that is supporting us, but also for the municipalities to understand that in such a big, nice sports hall we can do not only futsal, volleyball, and badminton, but also Para badminton.
As Sardinia opens its arms to participants from all around Europe, Delpin extends a warm invitation: "Enjoy the atmosphere, and Sardinian people. We are open to supporting everyone, tourists and sports people who visit, in everything – in their free time, in sports, in studies. We are a small island, but we are open to the world. More people are coming from Europe and outside of Europe, and this is a rich opportunity to grow – not alone, but together with them.”
The RSL BEC Para Badminton Event proves, yet again, to be not just a sporting occasion but a celebration of unity, growth, and the boundless possibilities of Para badminton.