LocationsAllympics: Sports for All
March 30, 2023
In Thailand, there are over 2 million registered people with disabilities who too often face forms of exclusion from society, be it in education, employment, or other social activities. This not only deprives them of the opportunity to improve their quality of life, but also causes society to lose a valuable human resource that can surely contribute to its growth. To address this issue, society needs to be more aware of the challenges faced by people with disabilities. One way to do this is by bringing people with and without disabilities together so that they can get to know and understand each other better.
Sports is one of the most popular social activities for humans, offering physical and mental benefits and serving as a powerful tool to unite people. Major sports events, such as the Olympics, bring together thousands of people from hundreds of countries to share and celebrate the moment. However, as of today, the world of sports is still divided by physical and mental capabilities, with athletes with disabilities forced to compete against each other in parallel competitions such as the Paralympics, the Asian Games, and the Para Games. Wouldn't it be better to have sports that everyone, regardless of their physical, mental, or intellectual abilities, can play and win together? Sports that are truly for all mankind, such as the Allympics.
Programme Elements
Traditional sports are not typically designed to be played by people with different abilities. Therefore, we aimed to use Allympic as opening up opportunities for youth to participate in designing new or adaptive sports that can be played by people with and without disabilities together. Participants are required to apply as a team consisting of 2-4 members. Ten teams are selected to participate in a 5-day program that involves capacity building, mentorship and expert support, as well as prototyping and testing of the sports designed.
The program offered capacity building workshops that utilized two thinking tools: design thinking and systematic inventive thinking. Participants were free to use either or both of these tools to design the inclusive sports.
In addition, each team was matched with mentors who were people with disabilities. These mentors provided valuable knowledge and insights to help guide the teams in their design process. Experts from the field of sports for people with disabilities were also invited to share their experiences and showcase how each sport was played and competed.
During the program, participants were required to create sport prototypes, which included the equipment, rules, and regulations. The teams presented their ideas through an actual play of their sport prototype. The three winning teams had the opportunity to demonstrate their sports to a group of people with disabilities.
Events
The 5-day program was conducted in a hybrid format, comprising both classroom-style sessions and outdoor activities.
Orientation Day
The Orientation Day was the first day of the program, which began with ice-breaking activities to help participants get to know each other. Each team was then introduced to their mentors, who were people with disabilities, to provide valuable insights about designing a unified sport that can be played by people with and without disabilities together. Representatives from the Together Foundation, Sports Authority of Thailand, and Sports Association for the Blind of Thailand also gave presentations about people with disabilities and showcased existing sports for people with different types of disabilities.
In the afternoon session, the participants were introduced to two tools for developing innovation: design thinking and systematic inventive thinking. By the end of the day, the teams were given time to design their first unified sport with their mentors.
Orientation Day was held on October 29, 2022, at the Workshop Studio in Samyan Mitrtown, Bangkok. The event hosted 24 participants (10 males and 14 females) from 8 teams and 9 mentors (5 males and 4 females) with disabilities.
Sports Day
There is nothing better than hands-on experience when it comes to understanding the needs of beneficiaries. As part of the program, participants were given the opportunity to attend the Run2gether event, which is a monthly running event for runners with and without disabilities in Lumpini Park. This experience allowed them to witness firsthand how sports can unite people despite their differences. In addition to running, the participants also played basketball with wheelchair athletes, learning about the rules and how they differ from traditional basketball games.
The Sport Day was held on November 5, 2022, at Lumpini Park in Bangkok. The event was attended by those 24 participants from 8 teams and 9 mentors with disabilities from the Orientation Day.
First Pitch Day
During the program, participants had the opportunity to present their first ideas for a unified sport and receive feedback from a panel of judges. The panel included representatives from the Together Foundation, UN Volunteers, and athletes with disabilities.
The First Pitch Day was held on November 12, 2022, at the Workshop Studio in Samyan Mitrtown, Bangkok. The event was attended by 22 participants from 7 teams and 8 mentors with disabilities.
Demo Day
After receiving feedback from the judges on the First Pitch Day, participants were given the opportunity to showcase their ideas in the form of an actual demonstration. Each team presented their sport, including how to play and the rules, and then the team, along with other participants and mentors, played the game together. This gave the teams valuable insights and feedback. After all the teams presented their ideas, the committee, which included a UNDP representative, two people with disabilities, and the organizing team, selected the three winning teams based on specific criteria. These criteria included inclusivity (ensuring that people with various disabilities can participate), engagement (fun and easy to understand and play), safety and scalability (opportunity to scale the sports to an international level. The three winning sports are LaiLa, Base(b)all, and Double Ball.
LaiLa is a game that mixes elements of Capture the Flag and AEIOU game inspired from a drama television series “Squid Game”. Players are divided into two teams, with the running team collecting flags while the hunting team tries to stop them using a ball as a hunting tool. The game can be played by players of all abilities, and those with visual impairments can have a sighted partner.
Base(b)all is an adaptation of Cricket, with players divided into two teams. One team sends out a bowler to throw the ball and hit wickets, while the other team sends out a hitter to prevent the wickets from being hit. Players of all abilities can participate according to their ability.
Double Ball is a fast-paced dodgeball game with adaptive rules. Players earn points by hitting their opponents with a ball, with players with disabilities earning an extra point. This encourages teams to include players with disabilities in their strategy to earn the most points.
Demo Day was held on November 26, 2022, at the Workshop Studio in Samyan Mitrtown, Bangkok. The event was attended by 22 participants from 7 teams and 8 mentors with disabilities.
Winner Showcase
The three winning teams had the opportunity to showcase their inclusive sports designs to a group of people with various disabilities, in order to test the viability of their ideas.
The Winner Showcase event was held on December 3, 2022, at Lumpini Park in Bangkok. The event was attended by 11 participants from the three winning teams, along with 8 mentors with disabilities who joined the Run2Gether Team Bangkok.
Opportunities
After the Winner Showcase Day, it was determined that the winning sports required some adjustments to make them more competitive and fun for all players. Nevertheless, it was evident that the idea of having sports that people with and without disabilities can play together is possible. Furthermore, some ideas from teams that did not win the competition showed potential for improvement.
The next step is to continue playing and refining the games with the established run2gether community until they are ready to be played publicly. The team aims to organize the first Allympics sport competition by the end of 2023.
Overall, the Allympics program is an important initiative that promotes greater understanding and inclusion of people with disabilities. By creating sports that can be played by people of all abilities, the program is breaking down barriers and promoting a more inclusive society. The program also provides valuable learning experiences for participants and mentors, who gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by people with disabilities. With continued support and development, the Allympics program has the potential to make a significant impact on society and promote greater understanding and inclusion of people with disabilities.
