Erzurum ready for para-athletic event

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

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Erzurum is set to welcome youths from all over the world for the 2012 World Alpine and Nordic Skiing Championships for Para-athletes with intellectual disabilities.

The Eastern Turkish province will host the events, regulated by the International Federation for athletes with an intellectual disability (INAS), between Feb. 27 and March 4.

“There will be a total of 120 para-athletes from 10 countries. We are very excited to be hosting the event for the first time in Turkey,” said Cahit Yavuz, the event coordinator, during the official launch ceremony in Istanbul yesterday.

Yavuz added that the championships and sport help children with disabilities integrate into society.
“Some of our kids can be uncomfortable sometimes [in society], but they overcome this situation when doing sports. We hope to send out this message to everyone with the World Alpine and Nordic Skiing Championships,” Yavuz said.

Erzurum’s Palandöken mountains hosted the 2012 Winter Universiade, the Winter University Games, last year.