Bali 4s Wheelchair Rugby tournament to boost development in South East Asia
I could think of worse places to go for a wheelchair rugby tournament than the island paradise of Bali. It is a holiday hot spot, famed worldwide for its beach side resorts, tropical hinterlands and friendly hospitality. Would I like to join a touring team of Australians heading over for a rugby development tournament? Where do I sign up?
Starting July 23rd, Bali will play host to developing teams from Thailand and Malaysia as well as an Australian touring team for the Bali4s international wheelchair rugby tournament. This event is the brainchild of Rodney Holt from the Bali Sports Foundation (BSF), and it is aimed at boosting participation in the sport in the SE Asian region.
Holt, an Olympic athlete and a former Bali sports person of the year, is the driving force behind the BSF team. They strive to improve the lives of people living with a disability in Bali and East Indonesia through a range of sports programs. Alongside Wheelchair rugby they offer a range of sports including para sailing, blind judo or deaf mute eskrima (that’s traditional stick fighting). But back to the rugby!
Indonesia, along with Malaysia made their first appearance on the rugby scene in 2014 at the Asian Para games in South Korea. The Bali4s will be the first appearance of the Thailand national team. This competition not only represents growth of the sport we all love, it also raises the profile of disability in countries where services and support are limited at best. The Indonesian team we met in Korea presented with a range of classifiable impairments, but none were spinal cord injury, and none were low pointers. A five week visit earlier this year from IWRF classifier, seating guru and all round lovely welsh lass Deb Duffield helped to fill the void of low pointers and educate the team on individualised equipment set up. Through her teaching on classifiable impairments and seating basics, Deb helped the BSF group on their path toward a sustainable a national wheelchair rugby program. I’m sure Deb also learnt a few new ticks about unconventional mobility too.
I’m not sure if the Australian guys who put their hand up to self-fund the trip thought much beyond Bintangs and Nasi Goreng by the pool when they first sent back their RSVP forms, but the experience and knowledge they can bring to this competition will be invaluable. The Bali4s event will provide a great platform to foster a network within the region. As we get closer to the event, the idea that we have an opportunity to give back to the rugby family is gathering momentum. The guys are planning ways to get equipment and supplies over with us to help give this developing nation a leg up, even if they don’t have working leg between them.
For more information on Bali 4s or the Bali Sports Foundation visit
By Katie Bourke
