MEDIA RELEASES
May 13, 2008
Russians Descend Upon Manitoba
Sport programs in Manitoba will be under a microscope, as seven Russians descend upon Manitoba from May 21st to 31st to learn about the province’s programs for people with disabilities in physical education and sports programs.
“Our sports programs for persons with disabilities have a good reputation internationally,” said Allen Mankewich, an analyst for the province in the provincial Disability Programs and Employment and Income Assistance Division who is assisting the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies in planning some of the activities for the Russian delegation. ”The way the programs are organized and the services we provide for people with disabilities have become a template for many other countries.”
The Russian delegation, who are sports administrators from the Yamal region of Russia, are coming to the province to meet with local organizations, discuss barriers and catalysts to equal access, inclusion, and participation, and develop an action plan for programs with persons with disabilities in their region of Russia. They are particularly interested in learning about sport policy in Manitoba and accessibility to facilities.
On May 26th, they are tentatively scheduled to meet with Sport Manitoba staff , as well as some of the provincial sport organizations for people with disabilities.
“But, be assured the trip isn’t just work, work, work,” said Mankewich. “It is a mix of fun and work. They will be going to a Goldeyes game, to see how seating areas for people with disabilities have been incorporated into the stadium, the Fort Whyte Center to see the sailing program for people with disabilities, a visit to the Manitoba Riding for the Disabled Association, an exhibition wheelchair basketball game, and maybe even to Gimli if the weather is nice.”
This isn’t the first time that Canada has partnered with Russia. The Physical Education and Sports for People with Disabilities project, which is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency through the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, within the framework of the Canada-Russia Northern Development Partnership Program, has organized several of these types of exchanges.
For more information contact Allen Mankewich, Analyst, Disability Programs and Employment and Income Assistance Division (204) 945-8693, or Dr. Olga Krassioukova-Enns, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies at (204) 287-8411.
A list of the Russian delegation:
- Evgeniy Selivanov, Head of the Agency for Physical Culture and Sports of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (YNAO)
- Artur Abdulmedzhidov, head of the sector for sport activities of the Agency for Physical Culture and Sports of the YNAO
- Liudmila Kholokholova, executive director of the Federation of the Sport for people with disabilities of the YNAO
- Marina Kvavadze, director of the Optimist Sports Club for people with disabilities, instructor of the adapted physical culture, main coach of the region of the combined sport teams of the athletes with disabilities
- Irina Ulianova, specialist of the Department for Labour and Social Security Department of the YNAO
- Mikhail Nebogatikov, head of the legal sector of the Agency for Physical Culture and Sports of the YNAO
- Alexandr Eyrikh, deputy head of the Division for Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism of the YNAO
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For more information, contact:
Erin Carter
Communications/Public Relations
Officer
Sport Manitoba
925-5735
Email
