“It’s a big mess, but a mess that we are looking forward to accomplish”. With these words, and in a close way, Santiago Toca, president of El Salvador Rugby Club, explained to journalists his enthusiasm for the participation of the club’s inclusive team in the International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament – IMART, considered as the World Cup of this modality. A press conference was held this morning at the Valladolid City Hall to officially announce the team’s participation in the World Cup, which will take place between June 7 and 13 in the Irish town of Cork.
A culmination of five years of work by the club and the Federation in a project that seeks inclusion and improving the quality of life of people with intellectual disabilities through sport, in this case rugby. El Salvador’s inclusive team includes players from Fundación Personas Valladolid, Segovia and Zamora and from the San Juan de Dios Center. “This has been a journey in which the players have put all their enthusiasm and energy to learn,” added the president of the team.
For his part, Juan Pablo Torres assured that this “is a new milestone that only consolidates a project that is committed to inclusion with capital letters, where the game is normalized, with the participation of people with and without disabilities, on equal terms” and assured that the Federation would be very aware “of what happens in Ireland, although, whatever the result, we are already very proud of the winners and of those 5 years of work and effort”.
David Izquierdo, representative of IMART-World rugby, described in his speech from a more technical point of view the world cup, in which people with and without disabilities will participate and where there will be two modalities, as established by the regulations: male, with 24 teams, and female, with 4 teams. A total of 720 players will enjoy a week where, in addition to playing rugby, they will attend conferences, training workshops and meet with athletes from all over the world. For Izquierdo “this is not only a rugby event, but also a space to break down barriers and change awareness. Inclusion is real and you are already living it here in Valladolid,” he said.
For her part, the Councilor for Social Services and Community Mediation, Rafaela Romero, said that “it is incredible how in these three years sport is proving that it is a way of inclusion” and thanked all the people who make the team possible, including volunteers, for their “human warmth” and their commitment to the project.
