8th ASEAN Para Games Organising Committee Announces The List Of Sports And Official Games Village

8TH ASEAN Para Games Organising Committee Announces The List Of Sports And Official Games Village

The Singapore ASEAN Para Games Organising Committee (SAPGOC) has confirmed a total of 15 sports for the 8th ASEAN Para Games. This will be the most number of sports offered at the ASEAN Para Games in its history. The announcement took place after the sports were endorsed at the 1st ASEAN Para Sports Federation Board of Governors’ Meeting at Marina Bay Sands. The integrated resort has also inked its partnership with SAPGOC, to be the Official Games Village come December 2015 when Singapore hosts the Games for the first time.

2. The 8th ASEAN Para Games will have the most number of sports in the Games history, and is expected to have a participation of up to 3,300 overseas and local participants, consisting of athletes, team officials, international technical delegates.

3. “We are hosting the ASEAN Para Games for the first time and we wanted to give the community with special needs variety of opportunities to compete,” said Mr Lim Teck Yin, Chairman, Executive Committee, SAPGOC, “ASEAN Para Games is more than just excellence. It teaches everyone the enduring human spirit and the heart to overcome challenges in sport and in life.”

4. The organising committee will be having a series of test events from March 2015 in preparation for the Games. Selected test events will also serve as outreach programmes, by bringing para-sports to the people. The public can look forward to invitational events for para-sports such as table tennis and wheelchair basketball in public spaces next year.

Games Village

5. The Games Village – Marina Bay Sands will be utilising some 1,500 rooms to host the athletes and officials during their stay. In addition, the integrated resort will provide two conference halls for the athlete’s social activities, meeting rooms as well as spaces for an array of fringe activities to create awareness on para-sports to the members of the public.

6. Marina Bay Sands was chosen for its accessibility, as well as the ability to provide the required number of rooms and support services for the Games. Most importantly, its existing facilities are appropriate for people with special needs. A key consideration that went into choosing the Games Village was ample space for people with wheelchairs to move around, and shower facilities that could accommodate athletes with caregivers.

7. Expressing his happiness in getting the first major corporate partner onboard for the ASEAN Para Games, Mr Lim said, “Marina Bay Sands has proven to be an ardent supporter of para-sport with their corporate social responsibility programmes. We are confident that the amenities available for the para-athletes will allow them the ease of accessibility and comfort throughout the Games duration. We are also delighted to partner Marina Bay Sands to host exciting activities within the Games Village to generate the awareness and support among Singaporeans, and increase the participation of the community with special needs in sport.”

8. Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Conventions and Exhibitions, Marina Bay Sands, Mr Benny Zin added, “We are very honoured to partner SAPGOC and to have the opportunity to earn the title of Official Games Village for the 2015 ASEAN Para Games. Our CSR programme, Sands for Singapore, aims to inspire and help young people fulfil their potential, so we look forward to putting together a unique and awe-inspiring experience for all para-athletes and their caregivers.”

9. The integrated resort has created unique opportunities for youth and athletes to share up-close experiences with renowned sports stars including Tiger Woods, Christian Sprenger and Rio Ferdinand. Most recently, Sands for Singapore, together with David Beckham, conducted a football clinic with beneficiaries from SportCares Singapore, Special Olympics, Deaf Sports Association (Singapore) and Bedok Youth Society for the Disabled.

Please refer to Annex A for the full list of sports.

About the 8th ASEAN Para Games
The 8th ASEAN Para Games will be held from 3 to 9 December 2015, with Singapore Sports Hub as the main venue for the Games. The Games is held in conjunction with Singapore’s 50th anniversary and will host more than 2,000 athletes and officials from the region. Adopting the theme of Celebrate the Extraordinary, the Games aims to promote friendship and solidarity amongst persons with disabilities in the ASEAN region through sport, to promote and develop sport for the differently abled, and rehabilitate and integrate persons with disabilities into mainstream society through sport.

About Marina Bay Sands Pte Ltd
Marina Bay Sands is the leading business, leisure and entertainment destination in Asia. It features large and flexible convention and exhibition facilities, 2,560 hotel rooms and suites, the rooftop Sands SkyPark, the best shopping mall in Asia, world-class celebrity chef restaurants and an outdoor event plaza. Its two theatres showcase a range of leading entertainment performances including world-renowned Broadway shows. Completing the line-up of attractions is ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands, which plays host to permanent and marquee exhibitions.