Boccia World Cup Opens In NI

An official Paralympic 2012 qualifying event has been taking place in Northern Ireland.

The NI Sports Minister Carál Ní Chuilín officially opened the 2011 CPISRA Boccia World Cup at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown at the weekend.

"This is great news for sport and it is an honour to host the 2011 Boccia World Cup.

"Approximately 200 athletes from 33 countries will compete for qualifying positions in the 2012 Paralympic Games," she said, (pictured).

"My Department, through Sport NI, has been working with the governing bodies of sport and local councils for some time, targeting teams and athletes to visit for events and training in the run-up to 2012.

"Many of these discussions are now bearing fruit. In December we will host the International Badminton Championships which is a pre-qualifying event for the 2012 Olympic Games and of course the Boccia World Cup.

"We have also hosted several positive visits from a range of London2012 Olympic and Paralympic Committees including the Chinese gymnastics team and the Indonesian badminton squad," the Sinn Fein Minister continued, noting this is the first time the event has been held in Ireland or the UK and it is estimated the event will result in a cash injection of over £1m into the local economy.

Disability Sports NI believe that hosting the event here will support them in their ongoing work promoting and developing sports opportunities for people with disabilities.

Kevin O'Neill, Director of Disability Sports NI said: "The event will undoubtedly help raise public awareness of disability sport, and enable us to get the message out there that people with disabilities have abilities and talents like everyone else in society, and can and do lead full and active lives.

"At Disability sports we have been very careful to plan a genuine legacy from the event.

"Over the last ten years we have worked hard at developing the sport of Boccia in Northern Ireland and as a result the sport is now widely played at a recreational level throughout the country by people with physical, sensory and learning disabilities.

"However the next stage is to develop a squad system and performance pathway for young people who show some talent in the sport, and we are confident we can achieve this as a direct legacy of the Boccia World Cup."

Also commenting, Professor Richard Barnett, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ulster, said: "The University of Ulster extends a warm welcome to all of the participants of the CPISRA 2011 Boccia World Cup.

"With qualifying places at stake for the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, the competition is set to be fantastic and we are looking forward to some excellent matches from the world's elite Boccia talent.

"Bringing the Boccia World Cup to the University of Ulster shows the lengths that we, along with our partner organisations, have gone to, to bring the spirit of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to Northern Ireland," he said.

Dominic Walsh, Chair of Sport Northern Ireland commented: "Sport Northern Ireland is extremely pleased to welcome the Boccia World Cup to Northern Ireland.

"This was the biggest Boccia event to be hosted in the UK, and to be able to welcome 200 competitors from 33 countries is an excellent achievement.

"As an official Paralympic qualifying event we look forward to seeing many world-class competitors, and we wish them all the very best of luck."

Meanwhile, the Ulster Unionist Culture, Arts & Leisure Committee members, Robin Swann MLA has welcomed news that the Australian Olympic boxing team have announced they will use Belfast as their training base ahead of the 2012 Olympics in London.

The North Antrim Assembly Member said last week: "It is fantastic news that the Australian Olympic boxing team have announced their intent to make Belfast their training base for the 2012 Games.

"Northern Ireland has a strong boxing tradition so it is particularly apt that we will be hosting the Australian team. I am glad that the fantastic boxing training facilities we have here are getting international recognition," he said.

(BMcC/GK)