In the past, it was challenging for Battambang’s wheelchair basketball team to train or play in the heat or rain. The new roof is a game changer. It will allow the team to train more regularly all year round, regardless of the weather conditions.
Attendees at the half-day event included Her Royal Highness Princess Sisowath Kanthireth, president of the CWBF; Atsushi Ueno, the Japanese ambassador to Cambodia; Sok Lou, the governor of Battambang province; Men Neary Sopheak, the first deputy secretary-general of the Cambodian Red Cross Society; representatives from the ICRC and the Japanese embassy; and experts from the Battambang physical rehabilitation centre.
The new roof was made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Japanese government’s Assistance for Cultural Grassroots Projects (GCGP), a programme that supports initiatives in culture, sports and education in developing countries.
At the inauguration, Mr. Ueno expressed his delight at the positive impact of GCGP projects on the lives of Cambodians. “Now that the new basketball court has been completed, I hope that Cambodia’s wheelchair basketball team will be able to practice in better conditions and that their achievements will encourage more Cambodian people to get involved in playing sports,” he said.
The inauguration included a photo exhibition that showcased the remarkable achievements of the wheelchair basketball team