THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A group of people with cerebral palsy have been making Kerala proud by clinching national-level athletics and football championships for the past two years. What makes their achievement even more commendable is that they did it without any support from the state government or the Kerala State Sports Council.
The teams from the Cerebral Palsy Sports Association of Kerala (CPSAK) won the inter-state football competition and the overall title at the national athletics championship, held in New Delhi in 2022 and 2023. This year, the Kerala team clinched one gold medal, four silver medals and six bronze medals at the National Cerebral Palsy Athletics Championship. In the football final, Kerala beat Tamil Nadu 3-0 to retain the title.
CPSAK’s secretary R Girija Kumari said the going is tough for the organisation without the government’s support. “Our application for affiliation is yet to be approved by the Sports Council. Hence, children who won national events are not eligible to apply for government jobs under the sports quota. It also hampers their prospects to represent the country in the Paralympic Games,” she told TNIE.
Girija, a homemaker-turned-football coach, is the secretary of CPSAK. The national-level championships were organised by the Cerebral Palsy Sports Federation of India (CPSFI). CPSAK is affiliated with the CPSFI which selects candidates for the national tournaments.
“Trainees of CPSAK can attend major national and international events because of our association with the CPSFI. The latter has the recognition of the International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football. Kerala team members have proved their mettle. A little help from the government and sports council will motivate them to conquer greater heights,” Girija said.
The CPSAK, a small-time organisation based in Kayamkulam, funded the teams’ expenses on its own. “We are struggling hard to raise funds. An average `Rs 12 lakh was spent on each team in both years. That included the expenses of one-month residential coaching camps, travel, accommodation and food expenses. Sponsorships by the Kochi-based Oorjja Foundation and Mavelikkara-based Cheriyan Foundation were the only help we received,” Girija said.
Govt should support cerebral palsy sports association, says Official
State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities S H Panchapakesan said it was high time the government supported the organisation. Panchapakesan had recently issued an order directing the government to give Sports Council’s affiliation to eligible sports clubs for persons with disabilities. Sporting and recreation are the rights of the disabled as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
“The CPSAK’s track record is excellent. It does not collect money from participants and deserves the government’s support,” he told TNIE.