President Prabowo calls for stronger support for disabled athletes

Bogor, Jawa Barat (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto has called for greater attention to be given to athletes with disabilities in Indonesia as part of broader efforts to ensure equal opportunities for all citizens.

Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir, speaking after a meeting with the president at the Garuda Yaksa Training Center in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, on Friday afternoon, said support for disability sports was among the key issues discussed.

Indonesia has nearly 23.9 million to 25.9 million people with disabilities, with around 11 percent actively participating in sports, Erick said.

"With those figures in mind, the president wants to ensure that athletes with disabilities receive proper attention and support," he said.

Erick noted that Prabowo has shown strong concern for people with disabilities who have an interest in sports, prompting the government to continue promoting programs aimed at advancing disability sports across the country.

One initiative presented to the president involves strengthening coaching certification programs for athletes with disabilities, enabling them to pursue careers as coaches and mentor future generations of athletes.

"I informed the president about a program to provide coaching certification for them. Once certified, they will be able to coach and train other athletes," Erick said.

He added that Prabowo has expressed a desire to meet with athletes with disabilities and visit the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) facility in Karanganyar, Central Java, which has yet to be officially inaugurated.

According to Erick, support for disability sports forms part of the government's commitment to ensuring equal opportunities for all Indonesians.

"The president also wants to meet athletes with disabilities and plans to visit Karanganyar to see the NPC facility, which has not yet been officially inaugurated. This is an important part of ensuring that every Indonesian citizen has equal opportunities," he said.

Prabowo met with Erick and Indonesia national football team head coach John Herdman in Hambalang on Friday afternoon. State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya also attended the meeting.

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Translator: Fathur, Azis Kurmala

Editor: M Razi Rahman

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