All SOMBG26 Athletes To Receive Medals, Welfare In Focus
BINTULU: All athletes participating in the Special Olympics Malaysia National Games 2026 (SOMNG26) will receive medals as a symbol of appreciation for their courage and spirit of participation, in line with the inclusive philosophy of the games.
Sarawak Minister of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development and President of Special Olympics Sarawak, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said the approach aims to ensure that every athlete is valued regardless of their position in the competition, thus building self-confidence and motivation among participants with special needs.
“Apart from the gold, silver and bronze medals, other participants who compete will also receive medals in recognition of their courage to try,” she said when speaking at a press conference in conjunction with SOMNG26 at a hotel here on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, she informed that the welfare and health aspects of athletes were also given priority through the implementation of the Healthy Athletes Programme throughout the tournament.
She said the programme included health screenings such as blood pressure, vision, hearing and physical fitness checks to ensure that athletes were safe and healthy throughout the competition.
“This programme is important to detect any health problems early so that follow-up action can be taken,” he said.
The Healthy Athletes Programme will be held at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (SJK) Chung Hua, Bintulu with the involvement of a medical team and trained volunteers.
In addition, a total of 793 participants involving athletes, coaches, heads of delegation and chaperones from 11 states are expected to take part in the tournament, making it one of the largest Special Olympics events at the national level.
She hoped that the organisation of SOMNG26 would strengthen the development of inclusive sports, as well as increase public awareness of the potential and abilities of special groups in this country. - UKASnews